Once upon a time... Not so long ago
by Atlantis1
Summary: Buffy is attacked by a rare deadly demon, Angel is in a race against time to find a cure... he will do anything, even if he has to turn to forces of darkness.. or lawyers. Timeline: After AYNOHYEB and before "First Impressions"
1. Part One

TITLE: ONCE UPON A TIME… NOT SO LONG AGO  
RATING: R (for angst, language and darkness)  
DISCLAIMER: Not my characters. The copyrights belong to Joss & Co.  
TIMELINE: After "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been", but before "First Impressions". (early S2/S5)  
SUMMARY: Angel Investigations have a special client… Buffy.  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I wrote most of it before the finales, actually all the first few parts I wrote last summer after To Shanshu In L.A, so I had to make some changes when the new season began.  
DEDICATION: To the B/Aers. Keep the dream alive, yeah?  
  
  
//Goodnight, my love,  
the tired old moon is descending,  
good night my love,  
my moment with you now is ending.  
It was so heavenly,  
holding you close to me,  
it will be heavenly,  
to hold you again in my dreams.  
The stars above,  
have promised to meet us tomorrow,  
till then my love,  
how dreary the new day will seem,  
so for the present dear,  
we'll have to part,  
sleep tight, my love.  
Good night, my love,  
remember that you're mine  
sweetheart.  
  
(Good Night My Love - From the 1936 musical "Stowaway")//  
  
  
The moon above was the only light source in the street. Downtown L.A was not a good place to hang around at night.  
There were several street lamps, but for some reason none of them were working. There was no one walking in the street. Well, no one human anyway.  
Angel strolled down the street alone. He wasn't in his usual mood, whatever the hell that meant.  
He felt weird. He knew something was going on.  
The streets were oddly quiet.  
Then he saw someone moving in the shadows.  
A normal person wouldn't be able to notice such a small movement there in the dark, but Angel had sharp senses and he knew the thing he saw moving was not human.  
Angel walked inside the alley which was even darker than the street.  
He saw the horror on the homeless man's face, as the vampire whose back was turned to Angel, pierced his neck.  
"Hey!" Angel called and the vampire turned to him. The vampire smiled and blood dribbled from his mouth.  
The homeless man was holding his neck, his wound already dry, and collapsed to the floor.  
The vampire, still smirking, walked towards Angel.   
Angel sighed and vamped out. The vampire was stunned for a minute. "What's the problem, brother?"   
Angel roared and pulled out a stake, before the vampire could react, Angel staked him and he exploded into dust.  
Angel shrugged. "No problem".   
He was about to go check on the homeless man to see if he was still alive, though he seriously doubted it, when some other vampire jumped on him and threw him to the ground.  
Angel got up fast and raised his hand, blocking the vampire's blows. He kicked the vampire away, but the vampire was quick to get back to him.  
Angel ducked and rolled on the ground, trying to grab the stake he used on the first vampire. He grabbed the stake, still on his knees, when he saw the vampire burst into ashes.  
He was puzzled for a moment. Then he saw the person who dusted his attacker.  
His jaw dropped in shock, as the young girl threw her stake in the air and grabbed it with her other hand.  
"Hi", She said.  
Angel got up on his feet.  
"Buffy…" He whispered.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Angel approached her.  
"It's nice to see you too", Buffy smiled nervously.  
He looked down and smiled shyly. Buffy glared at him and laughed shortly.  
Angel looked back at her, smiling more confident now.  
She stopped smiling and just stared at him.  
"We better go some place safer", He said after a bit.  
"I went to your office. I understand you had quite a wild party there".  
"I just live in some hotel now".   
Buffy walked over to him. In the dim moonlight he could still see her face. He knew she was in some kind of trouble. Her face was weary and her eyes were shining, pleading for help. And he knew she didn't just come to pay him a midnight visit, she was looking for his help.  
He wanted to grab her right there and then, embrace her and assure her that whatever it is, it will be fine.  
But he didn't make a move towards her. Better stay away where it's safe.  
He started walking and she made a few quick steps to catch up with him.  
"So…" She tried to start a conversation with him as they entered his car. "Who blew up your office?"  
"Um… lawyers…"   
"Why? Didn't pay the rent?" She giggled.  
He smirked but didn't say a word.  
An awkward silence surrounded them. They weren't living in each other's worlds anymore. Just what they wanted, what was best for them.  
"So… did you beat what's his name in Sunnydale?" Angel asked.  
"Adam… yeah, dead". She answered shortly. She was feeling uncomfortable as well.  
"And your boyfriend…Uh, riley…?" He hesitated.  
"He's okay… I…" She swallowed her words.  
"Does he know you're here?"  
Angel stopped the car and turned to face Buffy.   
"No… no one knows…" She mumbled.  
They got out of the car and Buffy followed him inside the hotel. She looked around at the big lobby.  
"I didn't know this hotel was still open". She noted.  
"It's not… I live here alone".   
She gazed at him. "Really? A big hotel just for yourself? Must be lonely".  
Angel shrugged. "It's just like the mansion".  
Buffy lowered her head. "I suppose…"  
She followed him up the stairs to his room. He looked at the bed. "One bed. Two of us". He said.  
She smiled bitterly. "Deja-vu".  
"You take the bed… I'll sleep on the sofa". He said.  
Buffy shook her head. "No, I can't take your bed. Don't you have other beds in this hotel?"  
"The other rooms aren't really decent for… look, it's fine. I'll just change the sheets for you".   
"No, it's okay". Buffy whispered and sat on the bed.  
He looked at her, then his stare stopped on her hands. They were both in gloves.   
She noticed he was looking and tried to hide her hands. He walked over and sat next to her.  
"What happened?" He asked her, trying to grab her hands.  
"Don't touch me!" She called out loudly and he backed off.  
"I didn't mean to…" He started to apologize.  
She sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell", She said then took off the glove from her left hand.  
Angel saw her palm was blood red, as if the flesh was completely eaten.  
Buffy looked at his face. He frowned worried.  
"It's just…" She started, then changed her mind.  
"Does it hurt?" He asked.  
"No. Actually I have no feeling at all".   
He rubbed his chin, staring at her hand.  
"It's in both hands. It started yesterday, and riley…" Angel flinched at the mention of the name.  
Buffy noticed and stopped talking for a second.  
"Well, he, uh, tried to see what's wrong with my hands and it burned him. It looked painful. I put the gloves on, so I wouldn't touch anyone…" She explained.  
Angel was still checking her hand. "It looks like the flesh was melted". He took her hand in his. She tried to protest, and pulled her hand back.  
"I'm not afraid of being burnt". He told her softly and reached for hand again. She hesitated, then let him touch her palm.  
"It has no affect on me", He said quietly, rubbing his thumb in circles on her palm.  
"I don't feel your touch". She said looking down as his fingers caressed her wounded hand.  
"Do you remember anything out of the ordinary you did?" He asked, still holding her hand.  
She shrugged. "Let's see… Vampires, vampires, demons… Nope. Pretty much the usual".  
"Any special demons?" He asked.  
"Special? Um, slimy, ugly, big… I don't know! I don't exactly recite the kind of demons I kill".  
Angel smiled. He missed her. He couldn't deny it. He missed listening to her voice, fighting by her side, holding her… kissing… he closed his eyes remembering the time he was human and she was in L.A with him. He opened his eyes and looked at her, still smiling. She didn't remember. She would probably never know. But she was here now.  
"Angel, I'm scared". She said suddenly, her voice shaken.  
"It will be all right". He said softly.  
"What if…" She sniffed and straightened. He looked at her.  
"Remember when there was that demon that touched me and gave me his telepathic powers?" She asked. Angel nodded. How could he forget. It was his first experience of running around smoking in the sunlight. Now he was already used to it.   
"What if I killed some demon that touched me and turned me into… some demon?" Her voice trembled.  
"I have demon hands now".  
"No", He said softly and pulled her closer, putting his arm around her. She rested her head on his chest and started crying. He moved his other hand and hugged her.  
She sobbed into his shoulder and he held her until her sobbing subsided and just random shivering crossed her body.  
"I'm sorry…" She sniffed and pulled away from him. "I shouldn't have come here and throw my problems on you…" She put her hand back in the glove.  
"I will help you, Buffy. I'll always be here for you". He said quietly. She smiled relieved.  
He got up. "Get some sleep. Tomorrow we'll talk to Wesley and see what's going on".  
"Okay…" She whispered.  
Angel leaned over and kissed her softly on her forehead.  
"Good night", He whispered and got up.  
He turned off the light and opened the door.  
"Angel?" Buffy whispered as she covered herself in the blanket.  
"Yeah?"  
"Thank you".  
"Sleep tight". He said and closed the door behind him.  
  
TBC... 


	2. Part Two

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 2  
  
  
"So no one knows you're here?" Angel asked when Buffy walked out of the bathroom the next day.  
"I… I didn't want to hurt them… I just took off… I was terrified…" She said, lowering her eyes.  
"I see… I'll call Giles later…" he said as she walked over to him.   
"I'm sorry… I have nothing to offer you… Maybe Wesley would have something for you to eat".  
  
Buffy walked behind him to the parking lot.  
"I love the car", she said. He smiled and entered the car himself, starting the engine, the roof closed on them, and Angel covered himself in a hood. He looked at Buffy.  
"Could you just close the window, so I won't… you know… burst into flames while driving". He smiled and she couldn't help it and smiled back.  
"You changed so much… you even smile more often now". She put her hand on his shoulder, lovingly.   
  
Wesley opened the door. Angel, raising smoke, walked in fast and took off the hood that covered him.  
Buffy followed him.  
"Hello Angel, Buffy", Wesley started saying, then looked at Buffy amazed. "Buffy!"  
"Hi Wes", Buffy smiled and walked in.  
Wesley's apartment was a small one-bedroom apartment. Angel looked around at the miniature kitchen and back at Buffy.  
"Maybe we should go over to Cordelia's", He said, pondering.  
  
Cordelia was busy rehearsing for some audition when Angel, Wesley and Buffy entered her apartment.  
Buffy watched her amused.  
"Hi Buffy, long time no see", Cordelia flashed a smile at her, then looked over at Angel.  
"So, what's going on? You're not planning on turning human again, are you?"  
Both Angel and Buffy glared at her. "Huh?"  
"Cordelia", Angel said in a low warning voice.  
"Never mind!" Cordelia smiled again and turned away.  
"What is she talking about, Angel?" Buffy asked.  
"I don't know…" Angel murmured. He left Buffy with Wesley and grabbed Cordelia's hand, pulling her inside the kitchen.  
"What were you talking about?" He asked her when they were out of Buffy's earshot.  
"Doyle told me".  
"Told you what?"  
"Duh. Everything?"  
Angel eyed her. "So you know?"  
"That Buffy was here for a whole day and you were human and you turned back the day yadda yadda yadda? Yes, I know".  
Angel sighed. "Well, she doesn't. So don't mention it again".  
"Um, okay. Sure. So, why is she here?"  
"She needs our help".  
"Is she gonna pay?"  
Angel glared at her.  
"I'm kidding! She's family, I know that!" Cordelia smiled and patted his shoulder in a friendly gesture.   
Angel was more relaxed now. He looked around. "Could you, um…"   
"Breakfast?" She asked.  
He nodded, smiling shyly.  
  
"So, Buffy is a demon?" Cordelia asked after Angel briefed them. Buffy looked uncomfortably at her red hands.  
"Wesley, I need you to do some search on demons that infect their killer with one of their demonic traits".  
Wesley looked at Angel. "The same demon from-"  
"No, I haven't encountered one of those ever since and thank god for that", Buffy said eliminating that idea.  
"Hold on, I have brought some books that might come in handy". Wesley walked over to the pile of books he had left on Cordelia's floor. They still hadn't moved everything to Angel's hotel.   
"Too bad *someone* didn't buy a new computer. Might be faster". Cordelia hummed.  
Buffy was quiet, just looking at them, feeling somewhat out of place and not at all a part of their little family.  
Angel was smiling at Cordelia more than he ever smiled at her. She remembered feeling so special every time she managed to squeeze at least half a smile from him.  
'Admit it. He was so broody with you, just like your friends say, and now he's so much happier in an undangerous way' She thought.  
"Buffy?" Wesley's voice made her snap from her thoughts.   
"Yeah?" She asked, her voice barely heard.  
"Could you look for a familiar demon here? This is the contagious demons chapter".  
Wesley laid the book in front of Buffy. She flipped through the pages. "None of those. Ewww.. none of those either…"  
She sighed when the chapter ended. "Nothing".  
"Are you sure? This book has every contagious demon known to the Council of Watchers". Wesley was surprised.  
"I'm pretty sure", Buffy said, flipping through the pages in a furious attempt to discover what was wrong with her. Angel and Wesley exchanged worried looks.  
"Oh God. I killed one of those last week". Buffy said and they both leaned over to see the picture her gloved hand pointed at.  
Wesley took the book from her hand and started reading. "That's not a contagious demon, that's…" His expression changed as he continued reading. "Oh lord…" He put down the book.  
"What is it?" Angel asked.  
"It's a Listis demon…" Wesley said quietly. Angel frowned.  
"What? What is it?" Buffy looked at them, becoming very alarmed.  
Angel's expression looked too familiar now.  
"I've never encountered one of those", Angel started saying, looking away from Buffy's worried face.  
"But I've heard of them. They're a threat even to vampires. They're very rare and if a vampire finds their hiding place, he just leaves them alone".   
"And this little story has a point, I assume?" Buffy asked harshly. "I'm sorry". She apologized right away.  
Wesley stepped in. "Because these demons are very rare, they have a special defense mechanism… which is essential to their survival".  
"I'm not sure I want to hear this…" Buffy got up from the chair. Wesley and Cordy looked at Angel. He seemed disturbed.  
Buffy took a deep breath. "Go on…" She whispered.  
"Once their blood touches their attacker's bare skin, they start a procedure of stealing, of sucking their attacker's life force". Wesley said, looking at the book again.  
"Listis. Means Listim, a robber in Aramaic and ancient Semitic languages". Angel noted.  
"That doesn't sound good…" Buffy looked at Wesley. "What do you mean by 'life force'?"   
"They suck all your senses, all your skills and strength until they suck your soul and revive themselves". Wesley explained.   
"And Buffy dies?" Cordelia asked, shocked. Buffy's face turned gloomier.  
"Not if I can help it", Angel said, determined.  
Buffy looked at him and felt her heart flipping inside her.  
She loved him so much. He was her Angel again, not a stranger anymore.  
"Your hands… the loss of feeling", Wesley cut short her moment. "That's the first thing the demon sucked- your sense of touch".  
Buffy looked at her gloved hands. "How long do I have?" her voice was husky.  
Wesley looked in the book.   
"It says here… um, the demon consumes its victim within 3 days".  
"I killed it last week".  
"It is also said here that beings with supernatural strength are being consumed approximately between 2 to 4 weeks".  
"Oh God…" Buffy murmured.  
"Wow… good thing you're a slayer, eh?" Cordelia said, then frowned. "Or maybe if you weren't the slayer you wouldn't have found this demon in the first place…" She bit her lips.  
"Wesley, is it reversible?" Angel asked.  
"I don't know…"  
"Look!" Angel raised his voice. Wesley nodded and picked another book starting to flip through the pages.  
"I'll go to the library and search on the computer", Cordy said and left the apartment.   



	3. Part Three

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 3  
  
  
  
  
  
"Buffy?" Angel whispered softly as he entered his room.  
He looked around at the empty bed, then his eyes wandered to the balcony. He stepped to the balcony that was lighted by moonlight.  
Buffy was leaning on the banister. He watched her face for a moment, the moon giving her hair mixed dark colors, and the shades dropping on her body, the way he remembered. It was so long ago, but it felt like it was only yesterday that he held her in his arms, and...  
"L.A is so beautiful," Buffy said quietly, not turning to him. She knew he was there even if he was sneaking behind her like a cat.  
"Not everyone can appreciate the beauty. I remember..." She wiped her eyes with her gloved hand. "When I was a little girl and my dad took me to his work, downtown in a big building... I was admiring the views and I used to imagine I'm the princess, ruling the world from her big tower..." She wrapped her arms around herself and Angel stepped closer, taking off his coat and wrapping it around her slim shoulders.  
"Then my dad was yelling at me, because I climbed on the window, and took me out to his secretary." Buffy wrinkled her nose letting a small smile on her weary face. Angel stepped closer, his body touching hers and he put his hands on the stone rail, trapping her between his arms. Buffy leaned onto him instinctively. "Was she evil?" He asked. Buffy let out a brief laughter. "She was! I was turning into the princess that was locked in the tower by the evil witch and I was waiting for the white knight to come rescue me."  
"The princess can rescue herself, she doesn't need a knight." Angel whispered softly into her ear.   
"And what if she's too weak? What if this is the last time she sees her world? What if she needs her knight?"  
"She's stronger than any knight." Angel said after a moment of silence. He touched her hair softly, laying his hand reassuringly on her shoulder.  
"I... I called Giles. I told him everything."  
Buffy turned to face him. "Is he angry with me for running away?"  
"He was worried," Angel looked away to the lights of the city. "They were searching for you all over Sunnydale and the surrounding area."  
Buffy looked down.  
"He trusts us to help you. He said he'll help with anything, and asked us to contact him daily." Angel told her.  
"Maybe I should go back... Maybe I should be there when I die..."  
"You're not going to die. Wesley and Cordy are researching like crazy. They're on the brink of discovery. I'm sure they'll be here any minute. You should go get some rest now," Angel moved towards the room.  
"I... I've lost my sense of smell..." Buffy half-whispered as Angel made a step into the room.   
"What?" He returned to her side.  
"I mean... what's a smelling sense? it's not all that important..." Buffy started to babble. "It can actually be an advantage... there are things that just... suck." She avoided his stare.  
"When did it happen?" He asked, trying to sound calm.  
"I noticed this morning..." She shrugged.  
"Why didn't you tell me?"  
"I didn't want to worry you." She admitted quietly.  
"Don't worry about me, love." Angel said softly "I mean, Buffy..." Angel fixed his little slip up quickly. They looked at each other, embarrassed.  
"I better go see what Wesley has found so far..." Angel mumbled, turning to leave. "You get some sleep."   
  
  
"Angel..." Wesley was startled to turn around and see the vampire behind him. Cordelia lifted her head from the computer. "I'm so tired.." She yawned, looking away from the computer's monitor.   
"Did you find anything?" Angel tapped on the back of Wesley's chair.  
"Not really... I..."  
"You have to hurry... We don't have much time."  
"I'm trying my best, Angel, but I just..."  
"Well, speed up!" Angel raised his voice, he took a book flipping through its contents and threw it away.  
"Don't waste time on details... just find something!"  
"This species is really rare, and there aren't a lot of cases... I saw only references..."  
"Track those reference."  
"It takes time!"  
  
Buffy woke up in haste. She panted and walked into the bathroom to wash her face. Her vision turned blurry and she started to panic, holding herself close to the wall. She started walking slowly into the room.  
"Angel..." she whispered, rubbing her eyes. She tried to look around and bumped into a chair. Her sight got foggier and she tried to make her way to the bed. "Easy... Easy girl..." She whispered to herself, navigating her way in the room. As the fog covered her sight, blacking it, her breath became faster and irregular. She was terrified.  
She heard doors slamming somewhere.  
"Angel..." She turned her head in the direction of the noises.  
Her sight was brighter, until it cleared. Buffy looked around, feeling like she was seeing the world for the first time.  
"They did it..." She whispered and walked out of the room.  
"Buffy!" She was surprised to meet Xander and riley halfway through the stairs.   
  
  
"Oh I think I found something!" Cordy said, straightening up.  
Angel left his pile of books and moved behind her, looking into the monitor.  
"That's a book reference..." Angel said quietly.  
Wesley got up looking at the title of the book. "I'm familiar with this book. I don't think it's translated though." He said.  
"Do you have it?" Angel asked, glancing over at the pile of old books.  
"There's just one copy. Not translated. It's at the museum." Cordelia read the text aloud.  
"Okay. We'll just break into the museum and borrow it then..." Angel said.  
"It's The British Museum. In London." Cordelia said, pointing her finger on the text.  
There was a moment of silence, when they all looked at the screen.  
"I'll never get there in time..." Angel sighed.  
"Wait, didn't Giles work there at the British Museum?" Cordelia asked, looking up at Wesley. "Well, him being all British.. and librarian.."  
"That's right, he was a curator there before he was called. Maybe he knows the new curator." Wesley said.  
"But how can we get it here on time? we don't have time to wait for it!" Angel brushed his hair quickly, frustrated.  
"You're right... dear lord..." Wesley sighed.  
"Hello? 21st Century? We'll have him send it with FedEx!" Cordelia called.  
"I'll talk to Giles." Wesley said and started walking out of the library.  
"I'll just..." Cordelia stopped in mid-sentence, glaring into space. It was registered in Angel's mind only a few seconds later that she was hit by a vision.  
He grabbed her before she fell to the floor.  
"God..." She whispered.  
"What is it?"  
"Buffy..." Cordy whispered between breaths.  
Angel became alerted, his body tensed. "What's wrong?"  
"She doesn't see... the demon behind her... she's..." Cordelia whispered.  
"Where?"  
"Near the hotel. Go there.. now!" Cordy raised her voice, and rubbed her forehead.   
Angel sprinted out of the library with no further word.   
  
TBC... 


	4. Part Four

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 4  
  
  
"God... I thought I was gonna be the next Helen Keller..." Buffy moaned as she took a glass of water in the Hotel's kitchen.  
"We were worried sick about you. Why did you run?" Xander asked.  
"Who's Helen Keller?" riley asked, confused.   
"I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner... I was so afraid... I thought I'd hurt you." Buffy said, looking at riley's bandaged hand.  
"We can't let you stay here. You need to be home, we'll help you." Xander said.  
"I really think we should wait for Angel... I can't just leave without at least thanking him," Buffy said.  
"Leave a note." riley said, looking over at Xander.  
"Why did you come here anyway?" Xander shrugged.  
"Guys..." Buffy was getting impatient.  
"Buffy, come on, let's go home." riley took her hand leading her out of the hotel.  
"That's really a cool place." Xander said, giving the Hyperion one last admiring look.  
They walked to riley's car that was parked nearby. Buffy suddenly crouched. "No..." She whispered.  
"What's wrong?" riley stopped and grabbed her. Buffy rubbed her eyes.  
"It's all fuzzy... I can't see..." She tried looking around.  
"Buffy, stop fooling around, let's go..." riley gripped her hand.  
"riley..." Buffy clung onto him.  
"Hey, look out!" She heard Xander yell, then she felt the big claws ripping through her back, throwing her away from riley.  
She felt her body hitting the ground and rolled. She looked up, but everything was black again.  
She scouted around with her hands. She heard Xander or riley calling her name.   
She could still feel the claws of the demon in her back. .  
"riley..." She whispered. Xander and riley had no chance without her. She got up.  
"Buffy!" She heard Angel's voice from afar.  
She wasn't ready for the blow she then received from the demon, sending her to the ground again. She felt the demon's slick and slimy hands on her chest, crushing her lungs with heavy pressure. Suddenly the weight of the demon was lifted from her. She heard Angel's roar.  
She closed her eyes, trying to take a deep breath and ignore the pain in her ribs.  
She didn't know how long it was until she heard the demon screeching in pain.  
"Buffy..." She heard Angel's getting closer. "Are you okay?"  
She shook her head, and wiped her eyes that started welling. Her vision was now blurry again, but not all black. She saw Angel's figure sending a hand to her and reached for his hand. He helped her get up.  
"Are you okay?" He asked again, she felt his hand touching her face, cleaning the dirt from her skin.  
"Where's Xander and riley?" She tried to look around as her vision returned.  
"They're over there... they'll be fine." He said quietly, leading her back to the Hotel.  
"You're hurt." Buffy said, noticing he was limping and bleeding too.  
"I'm fine." He said quietly. "Just got my knee screwed a little..."  
She touched his torn shirt, feeling the cold liquid that soaked his shirt from the wound. "You got a nasty cut there."  
"It will close soon. I heal fast."  
Buffy smiled, leaning her head into the crook of his arm. "We have that in common."  
  
Cordelia finished bandaging Angel's wounds and his leg. She looked over at Xander and riley as they slowly started to wake up.   
"How's Buffy?" He asked when she clapped her hands, admiring her nursing job.  
"She's okay. She has a few cuts and bruises... but luckily she didn't break anything."  
"You better see if those idiots broke anything." Angel looked over at Xander and riley and got up, limping away.  
  
"Angel," He heard riley calling him and turned around. The ex-soldier faced him, his face all wounded and bruised.  
"What right do you have, doing this?" The boy gritted his teeth.  
"I just saved your life." Angel folded his arms, looking at riley.  
"I meant holding Buffy here."  
"You better watch your mouth, boy. This is *my* house here." Angel said coldly.  
"I'm taking her back."   
"If you take her you'll get her killed."  
"What is it to you? She's no longer your girlfriend."  
"I left her so she could live, I will not let her die."   
"I won't let her die either." riley raised his voice.  
"Like you did with the demon out there?"  
"I was trying to protect her!"  
"And she nearly died!" Angel yelled back at him.  
"Boys... calm down..." Cordelia said, while bandaging Xander's head.  
"I'm taking her with me." riley pushed Angel.  
Angel grabbed his arm and twisted it. "You're not taking her. She needs a cure. And until we find it, she's safer here."  
riley drew out a stake and pointed it at Angel's chest.  
"Hey!" Cordelia got up and ran over to stop riley from staking Angel.  
Angel smirked down at riley. "Are you going to stake me?"  
"I don't see why not. You're a vampire."  
"Get away from him!" Cordy called and broke a wine bottle she grabbed from the desk on riley's head. He turned to her surprised and Angel quickly knocked the stake away from his hand.  
"You're leaving now. You're not welcome here!" Cordelia pointed at the door.   
"I'm taking Buffy with me." riley folded his arms and stood still.  
Cordelia turned to Xander. "Xander, is that a friend of yours?" She asked in a tone equivalent to mockery.  
Xander pointed at his bandage. "Severe brain damage here."   
"Well, yeah, I've been saying that for years."  
Xander smirked. "Good ole Cordy. I missed you."  
Cordy smirked back and pointed at riley. "Now go and take this clown with you."  
Xander got up, looking at riley. "Come on, riley. We better go."  
"I'm not going without Buffy."  
"Look..." Cordy searched for a nice word, then sighed and waved her hand. "Just look. Buffy is our client now. We're helping her because she's dying..."  
"Dying?" Xander's expression turned serious.  
"Cordelia..." They all turned to see Buffy standing on the stairs.  
She walked down the steps slowly.   
"Is it true?" riley asked.  
"She's not gonna die." Angel said, clenching his teeth.   
"riley, it's sweet that you came, and that you're worried about me," Buffy said quietly when she reached Angel and riley.  
She took riley's hands, looking at him.  
"Is that your *boyfriend*?" Cordelia asked surprised.   
"Go home with Xander," Buffy asked him, ignoring Cordelia. "I don't need you here, I need you at home taking care of mom and Dawn."  
"You sure?"  
"Yes." She said, glancing over at Angel. She pulled back her hands.  
"Why don't you go home and let Giles cure you from... whatever you have?" riley asked.  
"Because I'm here now. Angel and Wesley are helping me." She looked over at Cordelia. "And Cordelia."  
"But we can help you a lot better at home. He's a vampire-" riley pointed at Angel. Buffy rolled her eyes. "God, riley, don't be such a retard! Just go, okay??" She got impatient.  
"Okay, we're going, but you're gonna be fine, okay?" Xander said walking toward Buffy, then turned to Angel. "If you need anything, call Giles." He said calmly. "And take care of her." He said.  
Angel was a little surprised but didn't say a word.  
Xander pulled Buffy into a hug. "Don't leave us alone on the Hellmouth," He whispered in her ear and then walked away. riley pecked a kiss on her lips before walking away. "I still think I can protect you just the same." He insisted.  
"Go." Buffy asked him again.  
  
"How's your leg?" Buffy turned to Angel.  
"How's your back?"  
"It'll be fine, I heal fast." She smiled at him softly.  
He smiled back, "Well, we have that in common."  
Her smile widened, but then she looked at the door and got serious again. "I'm so sorry for all these troubles."  
"Don't worry about it, you should go back to sleep."  
"Angel, I-" She started saying but silenced. "Never mind..." She walked up the stairs and disappeared.  
  
"Some things never change." Cordelia hummed.  
"What?" He turned to her.  
"You two lovebirds for one thing."  
"We're not, she has a boyfriend."  
"Oh puh-lease. And out of the two of you who's left with her now?"  
"You really think she still loves me?" He asked looking up at where Buffy disappeared.  
"I don't think, I know. It's obvious. That's not the problem."  
He looked back at her, waiting for more.  
"The problem is that she needs to realize she can't have you *and* save the world. I mean, you two get groiny and it's the end of the world as we know it." Cordelia said matter of factly.  
Angel sighed looking down. "I know... Believe me, I know."  
Cordelia's features softened. "I know you do. The problem is her. I think she came here to die and I don't want you to do something stupid like granting her wish to be with you one last time before she dies or something like that."   
"Cordelia, she's *not* gonna die." He gripped her arm.  
Cordelia looked down at his hand. "Denial is a nice place, isn't it? And you're hurting me." She waved him off her.  
"Sorry..." He whispered and walked away.  
She tapped on the desk. "Buffy is going to a dark place..." She whispered to herself.  
  
  
TBC.... 


	5. Part Five

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 5  
  
  
Wesley returned to the Hyperion, carrying books.   
"Did you talk to Giles?" Cordelia greeted him.  
"Yes. It's settled. Giles will handle it. You better get some sleep now." Wesley looked over her.  
"Yeah… I'm worried about Angel though." Cordelia said. "He's in the basement… Buffy was attacked earlier."  
"Dear God.. is she all right?" Wesley's eyes widened.  
"Yeah… well, don't tell Angel, but…" Cordelia lowered her voice and got closer to Wesley. "I had a vision. Buffy is losing her sight… I dunno, I felt she was in total darkness. Doesn't look good." She whispered.  
Wesley pondered for a moment what Cordelia had told him. "Go home, Cordelia. I'll talk to Angel, but I'm afraid, things aren't looking good for us." He said.  
  
"Angel?" Wesley asked, walking down to the basement.  
Angel was wearing a black sleeveless shirt and he was hitting the boxing bag mercilessly. Wesley guessed he's probably been doing it for quite some time now.  
Angel stopped pounding on the sack, grabbed it and looked over at Wesley.  
"Well, what did he say?" He asked.  
"He will talk to his replacement. He'll do his best to get him to send the book as soon as possible." Wesley nodded.  
"Good. When can we expect it to arrive?"  
"Angel, there's still one problem." Wesley cleared his throat.  
Angel looked at him, waiting for explanation.  
"Giles confirmed my fears about the book."  
Angel was still looking at Wesley, arching his eyebrow.  
"Well…" Wesley searched for words. "The book has never been translated. Apart from a few known subjects the book covers, familiar words and demons species… it is said that the book deals with powerful black magic… Giles said the only person that ever tried to translate this book went insane. The book and its contents are very dangerous." Wesley looked away from Angel's stern face.   
"If it holds the cure for Buffy, it's the only way." Angel finally said. He ran his hand through his hair. "I'll get it translated. I don't want to risk your life."  
"The problem is not risking our lives, Angel." Wesley emphasized. "There is no translation."  
"We'll find one. Go to sleep Wesley." Angel said and focused his attention back on punching the bag.  
"Aren't you going to sleep?"   
"I can't." Angel said without stopping his thrusts. Wesley, understanding Angel was not going to say anything further on the subject, left.  
  
"Buffy?" Angel spotted Buffy's small figure at the far end of the hall. She was just standing there, looking lost.  
"Help me…" She whispered, but her lips didn't move. He started to move in her direction. He walked fast, then faster, but as fast as he walked he couldn't reach her.   
"Buffy!" He yelled.   
The lights dimmed as he continued to run in the hall, she was still far from him, protected by the sunlight that seemed to come from within her. She was the only source of light in the hallway.  
He stopped running and leaned on his knees.   
"It's no use," He told her. "I can never reach you."  
"Yes, you can Angel." She called to him in the darkness. "Don't give up now."   
He let out a bitter smile. "Even if I reached you, I'll burn. I'm a creature of the night. I don't belong in the light with you. I only fooled myself to think I was."  
He saw her reaching out for him, he could feel the flame, the heat, and walked back into the darkness.  
"I won't let you burn…" He heard her whisper as if she was standing near him, then he saw her burning in the flames. He covered his eyes from the bright light of the fire. "Buffy…" He looked ahead as the fire consumed her until there was nothing left but darkness.  
The tears burned his throat. "No!" He yelled.  
  
Angel woke up panting hard. He touched his forehead and looked around.  
Outside it was already daylight. He got up from the couch and walked to the kitchen taking a blood bag from the fridge.   
  
Walking stealthily into his room, his eyes wandered to his bed, expecting to see Buffy sleeping safely between his sheets.  
When he didn't see her, he became alarmed.   
"Buffy?" He asked cautiously, taking a hesitant step towards the balcony that was now bathed in sunlight.   
He pulled aside the curtains, keeping himself away from the direct beams. "Buffy?" He asked again before closing the curtains again.  
He walked to the bathroom but she wasn't there either. The door was wide open, and Angel could swear that his unbeating heart was racing in his chest.   
He ran outside of the room.  
"Buffy!!" He called.  
  
TBC... 


	6. Part Six

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 6  
  
  
Angel ran out to the hallway, and just when he was about to go down the stairs, the familiar overwhelming feeling of her essence washed through him. He turned around and followed his feeling.  
He entered a room close to his. He was standing at the doorway and saw Buffy's small figure crouched next to the shabby mattress that was leaning on the wall. Her eyes were closed, her hand touched the mattress slightly. The sunshine kissed her hair, giving it a special golden shade which he remembered accurately from the glimpses of her in the sun before and mostly from the one day he spent with her as human.  
Whenever he had a glimpse of her in the sunlight he drank down every small detail, engraving it in his memory.   
"Angel…" Buffy whispered, turning her head in his direction. Although he didn't make a sound, she could feel his presence.  
He walked over to her, but she was surrounded with too much sunlight he stopped half way through.  
He knew something was awfully wrong. It was the way she was looking at him, but her eyes were void, looking through him as though his body was transparent.  
"Buffy…" His voice was so full of pain he didn't recognize it.  
"I couldn't find the way…" Her voice trembled.  
"We'll fix it, Giles is taking care of that. We found a book.." He told her.   
"It's permanent now… it's gone…" Buffy cried covering her face in the old dusty mattress, folding her legs tighter to her chest.  
"Buffy, come here. I… I can't reach you there…" He said softly, pleading.  
She covered her face with her gloved hands. "I don't want you to see me like that… just let me die…" She cried and buried her face in her knees.  
"Buffy…" Angel made a step towards her, but hissed when he felt the pain of the sun exposure.  
He clasped his hand. "You leave me no choice. If you don't come to me I'll come to you…" He said firmly. "…And get myself into ashes…" He added quietly.   
Buffy didn't respond.   
"All right…" Angel stepped into the direct light and his skin started to sizzle.  
"No… geez! Are you crazy?!" Buffy quickly jumped from her sitting position and pushed Angel away to safety in full power.  
He rubbed his head, getting up from the floor. "Buffy…" He called for her.  
She knew where he was, but scouted for him. He took her hand and brought her over to him.  
She started crying into his chest and he just wrapped his arms around her, tears starting to well in his eyes. "I'll get you out of this mess. If I have to give away my soul, I'll get you out of this…" He whispered.  
  
Angel glanced at Buffy while he was on the phone with Wesley. He didn't want her to be out of his sight, but he didn't want her to know how worried he was.  
"Did you get the book yet?" He asked quietly into the phone, keeping his tone calm.  
"Not yet… It's still early. I think it will only arrive tomorrow morning." Wesley told him.  
"That's not soon enough…" Angel hissed.  
"How's Buffy?" Wesley asked.  
Angel looked again at Buffy, stepping out of her earshot.  
"She's… she can't see. She told me she was having blackouts all day… and now her sight is gone." Angel whispered.  
"She doesn't have much time left… I think she has a week or two tops."  
"Angel?" Buffy got up of the couch, trying to guide herself to Angel.  
"I gotta close now Wesley. Don't come here without this book." Angel said, hanging up.  
"I'm here…" He walked over to her. She stumbled against the table and he grabbed her before she hit the floor.  
"I'm feeling so helpless… I hate it!" She moaned, clinging to him.   
He wrapped his arms around her.   
"I can't do anything… It's so lonely and dark here…" She whispered.  
"You're not alone in this, you hear me?" Angel gripped her arms, shaking her a little bit, she didn't raise her face, but released her hand from his hold. She touched his face.  
"I can't even feel… not even Braille could help me…." She took away her hand.  
"I'll help you, can you feel this?" He asked and wiped her tears gently, holding his thumb on her cheek.  
"Yes…" She smiled slightly.  
"And this?" He leaned down and kissed her gently on her lips. She responded to his kiss- softly at first, then with all her hunger and yearning for him. The kiss grew more and more passionate, and Angel brought her body closer to him, holding her tight.  
  
"What are you doing?" They broke the kiss hearing Cordelia's voice. Angel looked at Cordy, a guilt-ridden expression on his face.   
"You're not allowed to suck face. You had your time, we saw the outcome. We don't want that again." She said strictly.   
"Cordelia, calm down." Angel said quietly in a menacing tone.  
"Whatever. Just remember what I told you."   
Buffy was quiet, keeping herself close to Angel's protective body.   
"Anyway, Buffy, I brought you breakfast," Cordelia motioned on the paper bag she was holding.  
"Thank you." Angel thanked her. She walked over to the table and put the bag there.  
"You should go help Wesley with the book." Angel told her, hoping she would get the hint.  
"I thought we didn't have it-" Cordelia was hushed with Angel's stern face. "Here… because it's at Wesley's place. Right. And I'm supposed to be there helping him…" She flashed a wide smile.  
"You kids behave." She said before walking out.  
  
"I'm sorry…" Buffy said quietly.  
"No I'm sorry. I was out of line." He took her hand and led her to the sofa.  
"Angel…" She started saying then changed her mind and remained silent.  
He leaned and took the paper bag Cordy brought. "Cheese sandwich…" He said cheerfully.   
"Mmm gotta love cheese." Buffy smiled hearing the liveliness in his voice.   
"And chocolate. I love chocolate!"   
"How would you know what's chocolate tastes like?" Buffy questioned him, surprised.  
"Oh…" Angel licked his lips, remembering the only time he tasted chocolate was the one day that never existed. For the rest of the world, anyway.  
"We uh.. had chocolate.. in the… you know, 18th century. It was a delicacy..." He said clumsily.   
"Really? Nice. I didn't know that."  
"Yeah… Just don't write that in your History exam." He put the sandwich in her hand.   
"Too bad they didn't have peanut butter back in your days. Now *that's* a delicacy!"   
"Yeah…" Angel sighed, nostalgic. "I mean I suppose."   
Buffy took a bite from the cheese sandwich. "Hmmm that's…" Her amused expression disappeared. "Yummy."   
"What's wrong?" Angel asked.  
"Nothing. I'm just… not hungry." Buffy put down the sandwich.  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah… I'm tired… can you take me to your room?" She got up.  
  
  
TBC... 


	7. Part Seven

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 7  
  
  
Another day passed until Wesley set his foot in the Hyperion. Angel was pacing back and forth in the lobby, while Cordelia was going through a pile of books.  
Angel hunted the English man with his eyes. "You got it?" He grabbed his shoulder.  
"Yes," Wesley gasped. He walked to the desk and laid his bag on it. He took out the book that was covered with rags.   
Angel looked at the book with shining eyes. "Cordelia, call Nabbit and tell him to transfer the money to the British Museum as we agreed." He looked at the book, trailing his hands on the carved letters. "There is blood on this book." He said quietly. "Old blood."  
"Ewww gross." Cordelia looked down at the decorated ancient book.  
"Not just human blood. Also demonic." Angel opened the book looking at the brown fading pages.  
"How are we going to translate it?" Wesley asked.  
"I'm giving you unlimited resources to get whatever information you need," Angel flipped through the book. "You just get it translated as soon as possible. Buffy's running out of time."  
"I'll try my best."  
"No, not your best, more than that." Angel put his hand on Wesley's shoulder. "You're going to translate what we need for Buffy's cure."  
Angel said quietly and went away up to his room.  
  
He stopped in his track in the hallway when he heard a sound coming from his room.  
It was a lullaby. The sweetest voice he ever heard. He stood silently in the doorway and watched his beloved, sitting curled up in a chair, her face was pale and she was looking blankly in the direction of the window. Her slim body was covered in a blanket. She finished her little song and sighed.  
"My mom used to sing me this song when I was little," She told him without moving her head to him.   
"We have the book." Angel told her, stepping closer.  
"I hope mom isn't too upset I'm gone… I didn't even say goodbye. And Dawn… I didn't say goodbye to anyone…"  
"You'll see them soon, love. I'll get you home."  
"I'm living on borrowed time… only one human sense left and what's keeping me alive is just my supernatural slayer essence…" She whispered.  
"You'll be all right. We're working on a cure." He said reassuringly.  
"Angel, come here," She motioned to him, reaching out her hand for him.  
He took her hand, standing above her.  
"I love you," She said simply, squeezing his hand.  
"I love you," He whispered back, almost choking on tears.  
She put a genuine smile on her weary face. "Nothing can change that. Not even death." She quoted his own words from long ago.  
"Don't say that, love. You know I'm not going to let you die." He kneeled in front of her, still holding her hand. He brought her palm to his mouth, kissing it.  
"Angel, you gave me something so precious, and I didn't completely deserve that."  
"You deserve my every drop of happiness, you deserve everything that I could give you. Buffy, you brought sunshine to my life. You set me on my path, you made me." A tear started rolling on his cheek, he took Buffy's hand, taking off her glove, and put her burnt hand on his face. "My redemption is worth nothing without you." He whispered.  
"Redemption?" She asked. He sighed, closing his eyes. That's right, she doesn't know. He was afraid she would drop all her life and waste it waiting for the day he received his shanshu.   
"You can take comfort in the fact that a slayer's shelf life is 25 tops, so I'm almost all the way through." She smiled. "Or actually right in the middle…" Her smiled faded.  
"You'll be the longest living slayer. I gave away everything so you could live longer, this is not going to be in vain. I'll get you back home safe, to your mother, your sister and…" He stopped, looking at her. "And your boyfriend. Even though I really don't like him."   
Buffy smiled. "He's okay. On occasions… Not big with the brain, but he's normal… more or less." She laughed. He looked at her in admiration.  
  
Wesley walked into Angel's room, finding his boss fully clothed, lying in bed with Buffy cuddled in his arms. Angel had one arm around her and with his other hand he stroke her hair and face gently and lovingly. He kissed the top of her head and slid her slowly away from his arm and onto the bed. He got up and walked over to Wesley, leading him out of the room.  
  
"Tell me what you found." He demanded.  
Wesley fixed his glasses on his nose. "Not much. I think I got the right chapter. I recognized some words, including the demon's species. The rest is just guesses-"   
"Look, Wesley." Angel cut him out. "I don't think you understood what I meant earlier. I give you unlimited resources to find information. I don't care if you bribe every single demon in Caritas to find…" Angel started saying, then looked at Wesley.  
"Caritas! That's it…" He hummed.   
"You're going to sing?" Wesley raised his eyebrow.  
"No, I'll take Buffy to sing! The Host could read her soul and guide us the way!"  
"You think he will?"  
"Of course. He helped me with the pregnant woman, didn't he? We should have gone there sooner!" Angel walked back into his room to wake Buffy up.  
  
"I'm not going to sing!"  
"Buffy, come on. This demon can help us only if you sing." Angel tried to convince her.  
"No, I'm a terrible singer."  
"Well, it's only karaoke, you don't need to be good."  
"And I look terrible, I can't even see what I look like…" She groaned.  
"You look as pretty as always."  
"You're a terrible liar."  
"Honestly, you always look perfect to me."  
"Keyword- to you. But I'm not gonna show myself in front of people." She shook her head.  
"Well you see… they're not people…"   
"I don't understand…"  
"It's a demon club." He explained.  
"Oh that's even better. NO."  
"Buffy, please. It might be the only way."  
"Maybe after I lose my hearing, so I don't have to listen."  
"That's not funny." Angel put his arms on her shoulder. "Come on, Buffy. Please."  
"I'm not going to sing, Angel!"  
"Do it for me, then. Please?" He covered her cheek with his big hand. "For me, okay?" He leaned and kissed her softly.  
  
  
  
TBC... 


	8. Part Eight

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 8  
  
  
"It's closed," Wesley said when they reached the entrance to the Caritas.  
"Closed? How can it be closed?" Angel asked, surprised.  
"Good, it's closed. Let's go…" Buffy turned to walk away but Angel pulled her back.  
"It's not closed. Come on." Angel knocked on the door.  
"We're closed!" They heard a call coming from inside.  
"You heard that? Let's go…" Buffy tugged on Angel's sleeve.   
Angel pummeled on the door, and then stepped back and kicked the door open. The barman, who was busy cleaning his bar, looked at them surprised. "I said it's closed."  
Angel looked at him sporting his game face. "We're here for the late show."   
The MC walked over to them. "Hey big fella, you missed one hell of a performance tonight." The green demon said cheerfully.  
Buffy scouted for someone to hold on to and found Wesley's arm. Angel grabbed the Host's lapels, bringing him close to his vampiric threatening face. "I need you to do some reading," He hissed.  
"This is not MTV's Total Requests Live here, we do things in order, there's a show…" The Anagogic tried to explain and release himself from Angel's grip.  
Angel snarled, baring his fangs. "I don't think you understand… I need you to do a reading." He said, emphasizing each word. "And I need it now."  
"Angel, let's go…" Buffy called still holding onto Wesley.   
"I already packed for tonight… the staff are gone. Just me and beer here." The host said.  
"Look, I'm losing my patience here… I don't believe I introduced myself properly-" Angel started saying, tightening his hold.  
"Okay, okay, start singing." The Host raised his hands in surrender.  
"Not me, her." Angel reverted back to his human face and looked over at Buffy.  
"Lovely girl, a little pale…" The Host scanned Buffy's body and stopped when Angel gave him a stern look.  
"She's sick and we need a cure…" Angel explained briefly.  
"Well, cupcake, hit the stage." The Host motioned to Buffy.  
Buffy kept clinging to Wesley's arm.  
"Come on, Buffy," Angel walked over to her and took her hand. "You just need to sing one song."  
"That makes me feel so much better."  
"Stage fright?" The demon asked.  
"I fear I'll fall from the stage…" Buffy muttered, still clinging to Wesley.  
Angel went over to Buffy and took her hand. "Trust me," He said softly. She walked hesitantly after him, her fingers intertwined with his.  
He looked over at the disassembled karaoke machine. "Is there a song you know by heart?" He asked.  
Buffy smiled shyly. "A few…"  
The Host struggled with the wires but eventually managed to hook up the machine. And music filled the quiet air.   
"The stage is all yours, gorgeous." He hummed.  
Buffy coughed, holding the mike. "So… I'm just gonna pretend you're all naked." She smiled mischievously. The Host turned off the music.  
"Slayer!" They heard someone roar before Buffy got to start her song. Everyone but Buffy stared at the group of demons and vampires in game faces that flowed into the club.  
They threw Wesley away and he hit a table, knocking the chairs to the floor.  
Angel jumped off the stage, facing the demons that tried to get to the stage.  
"Hey, hey! No violence allowed in this club!" The Host called. "And it's closed."  
One of the vampires smirked. "Then why are they here?"   
They pulled the chairs off the tables and sat down. "We'll wait for the slayer when the show's over."  
"Oh great. I got groupies…" Buffy whispered into the mike. Wesley got up, rubbing the back of his head.  
The Host looked at the demons settling down in the chairs and gave up. he looked gloomily at Angel. "What's a slayer anyway?"  
"I'd like to dedicate the next song to a very special someone. They know who they are…" She said professionally and closed her eyes.  
  
"Love of my life you've hurt me…" Buffy started singing softly. Her voice was sweet and tender. Everyone went quiet and looked at her.  
"You've broken my heart and now you leave me…" The Host fell down to his knees, but everyone else was mesmerized.   
"Love of my life can't you see… Bring it back bring it back.." Buffy's voice cracked a little when tears started to well in her throat. "Don't take it away from me…Because you don't know… What it means to me…" She put aside the microphone. "I'm sorry I can't…" She whispered.  
"That was great!" One of the vampires said. The others clapped their hands.  
Angel took Buffy's hand. "It's okay, I think it was enough." He kissed her forehead reassuringly.  
He glanced over at the Host and saw him lying on the floor. "Hold on…" He told Buffy and jumped from the stage, walking over to the Host.  
"Buffy, look out!" Wesley yelped spotting the demons herding the stage. Angel just reached the Host, looked behind him and received a blow from a vampire, sending him across the room.  
"Guys… autographs later…" Buffy said and kicked away one of the demons. She started to fight them blindly, relying only on her slayer sense.   
The demons were thirsty for slayers blood.  
"Remember me?" One of the vampires grabbed her. "You tried to fight me almost 6 years ago… I killed your best friends and you tried to set us all on fire in the gym. I thought you died… haven't seen you in L.A since then…" He smirked.  
"Your friends tasted nice…"  
Angel released himself from one of the demons' grip and walked to the stage, staking 2 vampires on his way.  
"And your boyfriend Tyler… wanna know what happened to him? Or would you rather know how we turned Pike into a vampire?" the vampire continued. "I always wanted to taste a slayer…"  
"Try this instead…" Angel said behind him and staked him.   
"Wesley get the Host out!" He called over to Wesley. The British man grabbed the Host from the floor and started dragging him towards the exit.  
Buffy was standing still, frozen. "Buffy, come on…" He pulled her hand. The demons started to approach them again. Angel lifted Buffy, kicking away the demons and ran, carrying Buffy in his arms.  
"Jump in!" Wesley yelled, starting the engine. Angel gently put Buffy in the backseat and jumped in the passenger seat next to Wesley.   
  
"Buffy, talk to me…" Angel whispered. They were at the Hyperion's lobby. Buffy sat frozen on the couch.  
"She's in shock." Wesley stated, walking over.   
"You don't think she lost anything else?" Cordelia asked.  
Wesley pondered for a minute, brushing his fingers over his lips. "I don't know…" He looked over at the Host. "The Host still hasn't woken up. nothing seems to wake him."  
"Buffy…" Angel whispered again, touching her face. "Buffy, please…"  
"It's him…" Buffy whispered, shuddering. "He killed them… all of them…"  
"What is she talking about?" Cordy asked.  
Angel cupped Buffy's face. "He's dead now. Don't worry about it." He looked up at Cordy.  
"When she was just called to her duty as a slayer, she was living in L.A… and she was still weak and this vampire and his gang killed her friends… she set the gym of her school on fire and then afterwards her mom moved to Sunnydale." He explained.  
"He was the one that killed Merrick, then." Wesley hummed.  
"Yes."  
"Merrick…" Buffy covered her face with her hands. "He's dead…"  
"Oww…" They heard the Host moaning. He slowly got up from the floor.  
"What happened?" Wesley asked him.  
"I know what's a slayer… more than I wished…" He rubbed his head.  
"How can we help her?" Angel asked, letting go of Buffy and getting up.  
"There's no future for her… I'm sorry. It's such a pity, she's really a cutie pie".   
"That's not what I wanted to hear…" Angel gritted his teeth approaching the host.  
"That's the reading. She's in the dark… I was knocked out from what I saw… There's nothing you can do to help her. Her destiny leads her to death. Only then will she know peace." The Host said. "Death is her reward. I really need something to drink."  
The room was quiet. Buffy was still sobbing quietly, whispering her dead watcher's name. She was lost in her own world.  
"I don't accept that." Angel said, grabbing the ancient book from the desk. "This book holds her cure. Tell us how to translate it." He shoved it into the Host's hands.  
The Host looked at the book. "I'm not familiar with the language." He replied, handing the book back to Angel. "I better go now, before it's day and people start asking me if I'm from Star Trek.." He looked at Angel. "I'm sorry."  
Angel rubbed his forehead, frustrated.   
The Host turned to go, then looked at Buffy. "It's amazing how with all the darkness in her, so much beauty still remains inside. The big guys sure know who to pick."  
  
Angel kicked his desk in temper. All the papers scattered around in a mess. He slammed his fist into the wall, and then just leaned on the wall with his arms, without turning around. Cordelia and Wesley watched their friend bowing down his head. His shoulders shaking slightly.  
They exchanged stares. They've never seen Angel break down like this.  
"Angel…" Cordelia said quietly, walking over to him.  
"Go away." Angel said quietly without turning around.  
"There's nothing you can do…" She tried to comfort him.  
"There must be something." He said huskily. He turned around, his eyes glistening with tears.   
"I'll just use the darkness to get her out of the dark." He said, clasping his hand tight.  
"What do you mean?" Wesley asked.  
"Take care of her." He said, turning to leave.  
"What are you going to do? sell your soul?" Cordelia huffed mockingly. Angel just stared at her, deadpan.   
"You can't be serious… Angel…" Her expression turned to horror.  
"Stake me." He said quietly and walked out of the Hyperion.   
"Angel, this is insane!" Wesley called behind him. But nothing could set Angel away from his path.  
  
  
TBC.... 


	9. Part Nine

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 9  
  
  
"Vampires in the building." A security guard informed Holland Manners. Holland was in a middle of a night meeting. He excused his colleagues and walked out of the meeting room to his office.  
"Camera?" He asked the guard that accompanied him.  
"Angel." The guard confirmed the unspoken suspicion.   
"Don't stake him. Bring him over here." Holland ordered.  
A few minutes passed before the guards escorted Angel to Holland's office.  
"Angel, nice to meet you." Holland scanned Angel from top to bottom.   
"And you are?"   
"Holland Manners. I am division head of Special Projects."  
"Special projects?" Angel asked. "Like what you raised in that box?"  
"What are you looking for, Angel?" Holland ignored the vampire's remark.  
"I… came seeking your help." Angel lowered his eyes, realizing how degrading that sounded.  
"You, came seeking, *our* help?" Holland repeated in amazement.  
"Do I have to say it twice?" Angel asked impatiently.  
"Release him," Holland ordered the guards and they pushed Angel ahead.  
"What are you up to?" Holland inquired of him.   
"There's a book I need to translate."  
"The book of Armaine."  
"You know it?"  
"We know you got it from the British Museum." Holland informed him.  
Angel clenched his jaw, trying to restrain himself from unleashing his hatred and anger for the firm. He reminded himself that he was the one using them.  
"I need to translate this book. It holds-"  
"The cure for the Slayer." Holland finished for him.  
"How do you know?"  
"There's nothing you do that we don't know. You better get that deep into that pretty head of yours."  
"Do you know how to cure her?" Angel asked.  
"No, but we can use our resources to get the book translated." Holland said.  
"I need you to do this for me. I'll do anything…" Angel stepped forward.  
"Anything?"  
Angel eyed him. "What do you want me to do?"   
  
"What do you want from me?" The uniformed guard backed away in fright.  
"Give me the keys." Angel hissed, his golden eyes shimmered as he approached the terrified guard, sporting his game face. The guard sent his shaking hands to his belt, taking out the keys chain.   
"Please don't kill me…" He pleaded as Angel snatched the keys from his hand.  
Angel grabbed him by his throat, throwing him at the wall.  
He crouched over to the guard. "Pretend you're dead…" Angel whispered. "Or I'd have to kill you for real."  
On the security camera, Holland watched Angel doing a swift movement, snapping the guard's neck.  
Angel walked over to the sealed and locked diamond ring. He walked over to the wall, touching it until he found a notch. The wall revealed a hole with a small electricity box in it. He unlocked the box, and then used the key with the immobilizer, unlocking the laser alarm rays that protected the glass box of the ring.  
He shattered the glass to pieces with his fist and took the diamond.   
  
"Thank you Angel. Well done." Holland grinned when Angel put the ring on his desk. Lindsey sneered looking at Angel in disgust.  
"How's your hand?" Angel returned Lindsey's smirk, looking at the lawyer's plastic hand.   
Lindsey rubbed his prosthesis, gritting his teeth. "I'll get you. Don't worry about it." He hissed.  
"Boys, calm down." Holland said. He looked at the ring. "Good job, Angel." He said. "The parnpuar demon is useless without this ring. He will value it greatly." Holland smiled. "He's one of our most faithful customers."  
"My pay." Angel said expressionless.  
"You don't want to work for us?"  
"I did what you asked me. I'm running out of time. I need to translate that book."  
"I think we still need your services." Holland said simply.  
Angel narrowed his eyes. "You're not gonna tell me the key to the translation. Are you?"  
"All in good time, my friend. All in good time." Holland clasped his hands together.   
  
Angel, low spirited, walked from the sewers into the Hyperion.   
"Don't move!" Cordelia called when he walked into the lobby. She pointed a crossbow at him.  
"Cordelia, I didn't lose my soul." Angel said quietly.  
"And how do I know it for sure?"  
"You'd have to trust me."  
"I don't."  
"Cordy…" He hissed. "Where's Buffy and Wesley?"  
"Upstairs, in bed." She said. Angel glared at her.  
"Uh, I mean, Buffy is in bed. Not that they're-"  
"Cordelia, shush." He dismissed her with a hand gesture and walked over to the stairs.  
She walked after him into his room. He looked at Buffy's pale face and sighed.  
"I don't have a heart, yet it aches so much." He whispered.  
"So what did you do?" Cordelia asked him.  
"I gave Wolfram and Hart a powerful ring that will unleash a deadly demon on lots of innocent humans." Angel said nonchalantly. "I screwed up. I forgot who I'm playing with." He ran his hand through his hair. "I thought they'd really give me the key."   
"I found the key!" Wesley stormed into the room, holding the book.  
"What?" Angel turned around sharply, grabbing Wesley.  
"I paid Merl to hang around the demons and find out if anyone knows something about the book."  
"So you have it?"  
"Yes. It's quite simple actually. Blood. Blood will translate the words."  
"That's why the book smells of blood." Angel mumbled.  
Wesley flipped through the pages, until he found out the demon's name.  
He took out a dagger and cut his hand above the book. He squirted the blood on the pages.  
The blood touched the book and immediately soaked into the yellow fading pages.  
They all stared at the text, anxious.  
"Nothing happened." Cordelia finally said.  
Wesley squirted more of the blood, smearing his hand on the book.  
"I'll kill that Merl." Angel huffed.  
"Wait, look." Wesley said and they all looked at the red glow that rose from the book. The letters started to change in front of their eyes.  
"Wow, it's amazing." Cordelia whispered.  
Wesley flipped through the pages. "It translated everything!"   
"See that wasn't so hard." Angel said. "Now get me the cure. Go." He added.  
"I'm working on it." Wesley grabbed the book, keeping it open on the right page and walked out of the room.  
"I'll help him." Cordelia suggested and walked out of the room too.  
Angel walked over to Buffy.  
He sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her hair. "You'll be all right, love." He whispered.  
  
"Well, did you find anything?" Angel asked, approaching Wesley.  
"Not since the last time you asked, 5 minutes ago."  
"Wesley, I told you I need it as soon as possible."  
"Well, lay off him a little, he's not superman." Cordelia said.  
Angel tapped on the desk nervously.  
"Do you mind? I need to concentrate." Wesley said.  
"Do it faster." Angel asked again.  
"I'm trying my best…"  
"Not good enough."  
"Angel!" Cordy raised her voice, defending Wesley.  
"I'm sorry."  
"Take a walk!" She ushered him away.  
He looked at her like a little boy whose mother had just yelled at him. "Okay…"   
  
"Angel…" He heard Buffy's faint voice. He walked into his room. Buffy sat up in his bed.  
He sat next to her and took her hands. "We did it, we translated the book." He told her.   
"Are you okay?" She asked him quietly, moving her face closer to his.  
"What?" He was confused.  
"You sound… not happy." She said.   
"No, I am happy… it's just…" He sighed and stroked her hair gently.   
"You don't have to go through all this trouble for me," Buffy put her hand on his chest.  
"How can you say that?"  
"You save people's souls, you give people purpose to live and get on with their lives. I'm not like these people, Angel. I'm a Slayer. I don't have a future, I fight the good fight for these people until one day the bad guys win…"   
"Buffy-"  
"I don't have anything to look forward to. My friends in L.A turned their backs on me when I became too freaky for their taste, after I was called. And I still tried to save them… and I couldn't… so I decided to turn away from my duty… moved to Sunnydale… seek a normal life… but my duty found me again. I can't pretend to be someone I'm not. I'm the Slayer, and…" She swallowed, and let her hand slip from his chest. "I don't want you to spend the rest of your immortal life blaming yourself for my death… if I didn't find this demon, I would have found another one. My number is up. Buffy was never going to win."  
"Buffy, don't talk like this." Angel grabbed her arms.  
"Angel, I've finally accepted my destiny. I will never be a normal girl. I'll always be a Slayer. Just remember me in a hundred years. Remember when no one else will, that once upon a time there was a slayer called Buffy… and that she wanted to die in her knight's arms."  
"Buffy…"  
"And remember that she loved you." Buffy raised her head. She couldn't see Angel, but she could feel him looking at her. He didn't talk. The tears streamed down his face.  
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	10. Part Ten

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 10  
  
  
  
"Angel!" Wesley burst in to the room, waving a paper. Angel let go of Buffy and wiped his tears quickly.  
"I found the cure! It's right here!" He showed Angel the paper.  
"Okay, I think I know where to find the contents." Angel said quietly.  
"I don't want you to-" Buffy started saying, but Angel cut her out.   
"I'm sorry Buffy, you'll have to find another day to die." He said and gave Wesley back the paper.  
"Downtown Hollywood. Denver's bookstore. He supplied me with the stuff to rid the hotel of the Thesulac demon. Tell him I sent you."  
  
  
Angel paced restlessly like a caged animal in the lobby. Cordelia walked down the steps and approached him.  
"Everything okay?" She asked him.  
"Why is it taking him so long?" He asked.  
"Buffy talked to her mother finally. She also talked with her sister and friends." Cordy told him.  
"Good. That's good." He said.  
"I don't know… sounded like a goodbye to me." Cordy wrinkled her nose.   
Angel sighed, fidgeting with his hands. "That's uh, good too… I suppose."  
"You'll be okay?" Cordelia asked. "I got um, an audition…"  
"You can go. Wesley should be here any minute now… and then when Buffy is cured we can all go to some restaurant and celebrate."  
"Can I choose the place?" Cordy flashed a smile.  
"Sure." Angel smiled back. Then he saw Wesley entering the lobby with a big pot.  
"You have everything?" He rushed over to him.  
"Yes, all the components are here. We just need to concoct it all together and let her drink it."   
"And are you sure it's going to work?"  
"That's what the book says."  
"Okay, let's do it now." Angel smiled widely.  
  
Wesley put the pot on the desk and took out a paper bag with all sorts of stuff in it.  
Cordy gave it one look and shuddered. "That's gross. I think I'll go to the audition. I'll see you later."   
Both men were too occupied to take notice.   
Angel followed Wesley to the kitchen.  
"This better work…" Angel whispered as Wesley put the pot on the oven and started stirring the mixture.  
"It should work." Wesley said, adding some powder to the blend.   
The liquid turned red and started to bubble.  
"I think it's ready." Wesley said.  
"Okay, what are you waiting for?" Angel was impatient.  
  
"Buffy, sit up." Angel rushed over to Buffy who cuddled in his bed. "We have your cure ready." He told her excitedly.  
She sat up. "I feel so weak…" She whispered.  
He supported her shoulders, letting her lean on his arm. With his other hand he brought the steaming cup filled with the red liquid to her mouth.  
She took a sip hesitantly.   
"Drink more," Angel encouraged her.  
"I can't taste that but I have a feeling that's a plus…" Buffy mentioned.  
"Come on, drink up."   
"Are you feeling a difference?" Wesley moved closer.  
Buffy shook her head. "Still blind and numb…"  
"Maybe we should have put two tentacles instead of one…" Wesley pondered out loud.  
"Ugh, still not deaf here!" Buffy was disgusted.  
Suddenly she gripped Angel's arm.   
"What is it?" He asked, hopeful.   
"Something is wrong…" She whispered.  
"Buffy?" Angel became alarmed.  
She started convulsing and Angel grabbed her arms. "Buffy!" He gasped.  
The convulsions ended after a long moment. Buffy sank back in Angel's arms.  
"Buffy?" Angel tried to shake her.  
"Is she alive?" Wesley asked.   
"Buffy, wake up…" Angel shook her again before laying her on the bed.  
He stroked her hair, removing a lock of stray hair from her forehead.  
"I don't understand what ha-"  
Wesley didn't finish his words. In an outburst of rage, Angel grabbed him by his throat and slammed him against the wall. "What did you let her drink?" Angel gritted his teeth.  
"Angel… you're choking me…" Wesley tried to release Angel's grip.  
Angel released Wesley. "Fix it."  
Wesley wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. "I'm pretty sure I did exactly what the book said."   
  
"She's in coma." Angel said when Wesley got back to the room carrying the book.  
"The book coded itself again." Wesley said opening the ancient book again. He took out his dagger again and reopened his wound, not even flinching.  
After a few moments the book started to glow red again and the letter rearranged themselves.  
Wesley looked at the book. Then at the paper. "What the hell…" He whispered.  
"What is it?" Angel asked.  
"It's not what I read the first time!"  
"What do you mean?"  
"It translated differently."  
"How can it be?"  
"I don't know." Wesley closed the book and opened it again at the same point. The book was back to his coded version.  
He smeared his blooded hand on the page again.  
They waited to see what happens and the red glow appeared again.  
Wesley blinked his eyes in amazement. "It's different again…"  
"What is it a prank?"   
Wesley rubbed his forehead. "I told you the only human that ever tried to translate the book was driven insane. This book is demonic."  
Angel looked over at Buffy. "We have to get her back."  
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	11. Part Eleven

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 11  
  
  
"Angel, I see you've changed your mind." Holland greeted Angel when the  
vampire was escorted back into his office.   
"You know how to use the book." Angel pointed dryly. "You were waiting for  
me to come to you, that's why you didn't send any hell warriors to get the  
book from me." He continued.  
Holland smiled. "I see your intelligence is well above the average vampire."  
He walked over to his desk and sat down.  
"Please have a seat." He invited Angel. Angel was still eyeing him  
suspiciously before sitting down reluctantly.   
"Your little slayer needs a powerful magic, it's her only chance to heal".  
Holland pointed.  
"Can you help her? Do you know exactly what she needs?" Angel barged in.   
Holland pressed on a key in his phone. "Cecil, call Lindsey McDonald in." He  
ordered.  
Angel narrowed his eyes and huffed in disapproval as the young lawyer  
entered the large office.  
"I'm here, sir." Lindsey stepped before the desk.  
"Lindsey, sit down."   
Lindsey exchanged stares with Angel, not letting the vampire escape his  
flaming hatred.  
"One of our customers is a powerful sorcerer, he's an expert in the black  
art, especially of demonic nature. We can hire him to perform the spell on  
your slayer. He has read and correctly translated the book of Armaine in the  
17th century before it fell into the hands of the British demonologists from  
the Council of Watchers..."  
"I'm getting bored here," Angel leaned back in his chair. "Just get to  
the catch."   
"We do things according to the law here," Lindsey noted.  
Angel sneered. "Yeah, I know all about your law."  
Lindsey didn't say a word, just took out papers from his bag. "This is your  
contract."  
"My contract?" Angel looked at the documents.   
"We would like to hire you in exchange for letting the sorcerer perform the  
ritual."  
"You know you will have to hire me without my soul." Angel folded his arms.  
"That's fine with us," Holland smiled.  
Angel looked blankly at the papers. "I will not be responsible for anymore innocent  
deaths." He annunciated.  
"Just the Slayer's." Lindsey pointed out.  
Angel sighed in frustration. "I can't let you own my soul."  
"You can go back to your Hotel and watch the life of your Slayer being  
sucked from her body." Lindsey suggested.  
Angel clenched his jaw, remaining tight faced.   
"Look, Angel," Holland took the papers into his hands. "Miss Summers  
encountered a deadly demon, and the only way to reverse the procedures and  
prevent her death is by doing a ritual that will transfer the effects to  
another host. The sorcerer won't perform the ritual on himself. That's why  
we're going to hire you." He explained.  
"You mean, the demon will have my life and I'll die instead of Buffy?" Angel  
rubbed his chin.  
"Technically. Yes." Lindsey said.  
"Technically? If I die what's in it for you?" Angel moved his stare from  
Lindsey to Holland.  
"Our annoying pain in the butt will be removed." Lindsey smirked.  
Angel looked down at the papers. "Why do I need to sign this? My word isn't  
enough? I'll do it."  
"It's a matter of procedures. The sorcerer would not do anything without the  
signed agreement of the clients." Holland explained and handed Angel the  
papers.  
Angel skimmed through the papers, losing himself in the muddle of printed  
black letters.  
"Sign here." Lindsey pointed, and moved his prosthesis to indicate to Angel the  
places for the signatures, bumping his plastic hand on Angel's head on the  
way. "Sorry." He apologized dryly.  
Angel got tired of trying to read and understand all the legal terms and  
just skipped to sign.  
He put down the pen.  
"When can we get this done?"   
"When you're ready." Holland got up.  
"Tonight. In my hotel."   
"All right. We'll talk to the sorcerer." Holland motioned to Lindsey, "Write  
it down in the schedule, Lindsey."  
"Yes sir." The young lawyer took the task on himself, struggling with his  
left hand to scribble down a note.  
"Will I have time to talk to Buffy after she's cured?"  
"You better say your goodbye now, I have to be honest." Holland moved to  
walk him out of the office.  
"Funny, I didn't think that word existed in your vocabulary." Angel quipped.  
"You'll be surprised how many things you don't think about." Holland smiled.  
"Guards, escort our friend to the sewer system exit." He didn't give Angel a  
chance to respond.  
  
"So, what now?" Lindsey asked when Holland returned to the office.  
"I must give you a merit badge for your wonderful idea to send the Listis  
demon to Sunnydale." Holland smiled.  
Lindsey shrugged. "I figured we needed to do something soon, and the slayer  
is Angel's greatest weakness..."  
"How is Darla?" Holland cut him out. "How is she doing?"  
"She's doing well. Still uh, weak. That's why I thought we could use this  
plan."  
"I love killing two birds with one stone. That Slayer became far too  
powerful lately." Holland smiled and rubbed his hands together.  
  
"Angel, what's going on? Where have you been?" Cordelia jumped on Angel the  
moment he walked into the hotel from the sewer. He didn't answer, just  
rushed up the stairs to his room.  
"Buffy..." He mumbled as he walked over to the bed. He took her hand in his.  
Cordelia entered the room. "Nothing changed. She hasn't woke up."  
Angel brought Buffy's hand to his mouth, kissing it softly. "I don't have  
much time..." He whispered.  
"Where did you go, Angel?" Wesley walked into the room.  
Angel reluctantly removed his eyes from Buffy and turned to Wesley. "Uh, Wolfram and Hart."  
"What?" Both Wesley and Cordy glared at him in disbelief.  
He shrugged, still sitting on the bed, holding Buffy's hand. "I'm going to  
exchange my life for hers. She will live and I will die instead."  
"This is insane!" Cordelia nearly yelled.  
"Angel, you realize it could be a trap." Wesley said softly, calmly. They could always count on Wes to be more levelheaded.  
"I do, and that's why I'm asking you to keep out of the hotel after sunset."  
Angel said calmly. "I can't do it wholeheartedly if I know you might be at  
risk."   
"Well, if you plan on losing your soul and going all psycho on us, I'm thinking  
we're ALREADY at risk!" Cordelia snapped. "And do you think that's what *she*  
wants?" She pointed at Buffy.  
Angel shook his head. "If that's the only way she can live..."  
"She's the slayer! Hello?! Slayers die all the time, it's part of what they  
do!"  
"Cordelia, you can't possibly understand what she means to me, so don't try!" Angel got angry.  
Cordelia sneered. "I know, she's the love of your life, you're the love of  
her life, you can't be together, I know. but I rather see her dead than see  
the world go to hell!"  
"Cordelia, calm down." Wesley grabbed her. He was afraid of Angel's  
reaction.  
Angel kept his poker face on, trying to soothe and control his anger.   
"Look, if they trick us, and I wind up evil, you'd have to kill me before I  
do some damage. But there's no way I'm going to watch her die."  
"You're letting your selfishness overcome your common sense. You think she would want that? You think she wants you to die instead of her?" Cordelia tried talking to him again.  
"It's a done deal. Leave." Angel said coldly.  
"What if they kill her anyway? What makes you think they'll spare her life?  
What if YOU kill her?" Cordy insisted.  
"Cordelia, just go." Angel gritted his teeth and got up.  
Wesley grabbed Cordelia's arm and led her out of the room.  
  
Angel rubbed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. He walked over to  
Buffy's lifeless body.  
"It can't be a mistake. The powers that be let me exchange my life for yours  
one time. They promised you'd live. Whatever Wolfram and Hart plan is, it  
won't work, because there are forces stronger than evil. You and I both  
witnessed it before." He brought his face close to hers and kissed her lips  
softly. "You proved to me that I belong in this world, I will prove that  
you belong here too."  
He touched her face, his fingers trailing over her soft features. "I love  
you, my sleeping beauty." He leaned down and rested his head on her chest.  
"No matter what, I'll always love you". He closed his eyes for a moment,  
taking comfort in the warmth of her body. He felt the tears stinging his  
eyes and he buried his face in her chest, holding her body close.  
  
"This is REALLY bad." Cordelia paced back and forth in her apartment. "And I  
mean REALLY bad."  
Wesley sat down at the table. "Maybe we should go there and try to stop the  
ritual," He suggested.  
"Right... and get ourselves extremely dead? I don't think so!"  
"Maybe it's the only way." Wesley pondered.  
"To sacrifice ourselves?"  
"No, Angel trading his life with Buffy's. Maybe it's not going to be so  
bad."  
"Oh puh-lease, are you trying to convince yourself or something?" Cordy  
puffed.  
"Yes..." Wesley admitted and sighed.  
"How can he be so stupid? God! I love Angel, but sometimes he just doesn't  
think straight! He's set on a course and nothing can get him off! Geez! Like  
a horse! He's side blinded and see only one way." Cordy vented.   
"And it seems to be worse when it's personal... I mean, if it were just  
another person..." Wesley agreed.  
Cordelia rolled her eyes. "You have no idea! It's Bu-ffy. It's always about  
her eventually. You can take Angel out of Bu- wait that doesn't sound good.  
Hmm, you can take Angel *away* from Buffy, but you can't take Buffy out of  
him. God, that didn't come out right either." Cordelia curved her mouth.  
"I understand your point. Buffy obviously means a lot to him."  
"Pffft! Angel was *human* and he gave it up for her. How crazy is that?"  
"Angel was human?" Wesley raised his eyebrow.  
"Yeah, but he turned back the day and no one but him remembers this day. Doyle  
told me everything."  
"Wow, Angel was human. I bet that's why he was anxious to get his redemption  
already."  
"I'm telling you, whatever he's doing now, it's not gonna help. If he wants  
to die for someone he should die for someone with a longer life span. At  
least then it will be worth it."  
"Well, you don't exactly choose who you fall in love with. And you can't  
estimate a person's life span. Anyone can die prematurely."  
"Like if, say, Angel goes evil and destroys the world?"  
Wesley looked at her. "You really fear that, don't you?"  
Cordelia sighed. "I saw him evil, Wesley. Believe me, you don't want to  
stick around for that."  
"Well, maybe it won't happen, maybe he won't turn evil, just die."  
  
Angel carried Buffy in his strong arms. The lawyers were waiting down in the  
lobby. He stopped half way through, looking down at the arrangements they made for  
the ritual. A big altar was covered in a white sheet. Long candles were burning at every  
corner.  
He looked down at Buffy's face.  
"If you can hear me, love..." He whispered. "Kill me when you wake up. Don't  
let them fool you."  
  
  
TBC.... 


	12. Part Twelve

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 12  
  
  
//I would die for you  
I would die for you  
I've been dying just to feel you by my side  
To know that you're mine  
  
I would cry for you  
I would cry for you  
I will wash away your pain with all my tears  
I'm drowning on fear  
  
I will pray for you  
I will pray for you  
I will sell my soul for something pure and true  
Someone like you  
  
See your face every place that I walk in  
Hear your voice every time that I'm talking  
You will believe in me  
And I'll never be ignored  
  
I will burn for you  
Feel pain for you  
I will twist the knife and bleed my aching heart  
And tear it apart  
  
I will lie for you  
Beg and steal for you  
I will crawl on my hands and knees until you see  
You're just like me  
  
Violate all the love that I'm missing  
Throw away all the pain that I'm living  
You will believe in me  
And I can never be ignored  
  
I would die for you  
I would kill for you  
I would steal for you  
I'd do time for you  
I will wait for you  
I'd make room for you  
I'd sink ships for you  
Take the cross for you  
To be a part of you  
Cause I believe in you  
I believe in you  
I would die for you//  
  
(#1 Crush - By Garbage)  
  
  
Angel laid Buffy gently on the altar. He stroked her hair, taking one more  
glimpse of her face before turning to Lindsey and Holland. "Let's get it  
done."  
Lindsey looked down at his watch. "He should be here right about-"  
The lights went out and wind started blowing strongly in the hotel.   
"Now." Lindsey finished with a smirk.  
Angel looked at the dark clouds forming in the lobby. The clouds faded to  
reveal a figure wearing a black hood. It reminded Angel the Thesulac demon,  
only this sorcerer had no tentacles.   
"You again." The sorcerer's voice thundered.  
Angel suddenly knew why he was familiar, he was the same sorcerer the mayor  
of Sunnydale summoned to steal his soul. He had a bad feeling it will not  
end like the other time when it turned out The Sorcerer owed Giles a favor.  
"You know him?" Lindsey asked.  
"I was hired to rob him of his soul." The Sorcerer told him.  
"Ahha, by Mr. Wilkins, one of our favored clients." Holland appeared to know  
the story.  
Angel stepped forward. "Cure her." He demanded.  
"Let's start." Holland agreed.  
  
Angel felt pain when the Sorcerer started his chanting. Like hundreds of  
needles pricking his body. He clasped his hands glancing over at Buffy. The  
mystic lights that drew from his body, the Sorcerer and somewhere in the  
ceiling all scrambled together to surround Buffy. Her body was glowing  
bright like she was in full sunshine. It reminded him of his dream.  
His mind got foggy and he felt the pain growing stronger.  
  
"Wesley!" Cordelia screamed as a vision hit her. Wesley got up from the  
chair clumsily and stumbled. An unseen force stopped Cordelia from falling  
to the floor. Wesley watched Cordelia, still shaking from the hard vision,  
being carried by the air to the nearby armchair.  
"Thanks, Phantom Dennis..." Cordelia whispered when the pain subsided.  
"Are you all right? What did you see?" Wesley walked over to her, a  
concerned look on his face.  
"Angel... and Buffy..." Cordy whispered, getting up. "And a nasty demon...  
we should go there!"  
  
Buffy felt the force hit her body with power. It started to burn her from the  
inside, the heat becoming unbearable. "If you can hear me... kill me..."  
She heard Angel's voice in her head. "Kill me... kill me... No matter what,  
I'll always love you... kill me... kill me..." Everything came back to her  
at once. The burn turned into pain, like her body was electrified. "I love  
you, my sleeping beauty... kill me... kill me..."  
She opened her eyes, expecting to see darkness, but she was in Angel's  
lobby. She looked ahead and saw him crouching on the floor, nearly falling.  
The lawyers behind him. She spotted a green demon... an ugly and nasty demon...  
approaching Angel.  
"Angel!" She yelped, when suddenly she felt something hit her. Someone  
lassoed her. She struggled to break free. She felt powerful again. Her  
slayer strength was back. She managed to free herself, grabbed a candle, and  
ran over to Angel. She burned the demon with the candle. It screeched and  
she kicked it away from Angel.   
Buffy helped Angel get up.  
"Angel, are you okay?" She asked. He looked down at her, his eyes narrowing.  
  
Buffy looked at him, worried. "What's wrong, Angel?"  
"Nothing wrong. Quite the opposite, Buff." He smirked down at her, his eyes  
twinkled in that old too familiar evil gleam.   
"No..." She whispered, horrified. "I love you... kill me..." She heard  
Angel's voice.  
Buffy was frozen. She looked at Angelus morphing into his game face in front  
of her eyes.   
"I've waited a long time for this, lover." He grabbed her, bringing his  
fangs to her neck.  
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	13. Part Thirteen

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 13  
  
  
"Angel!" Buffy heard Cordelia yell. Suddenly Angelus was thrown away from  
her.  
"Let's get out of here..." Holland said quietly and walked away with Lindsey  
and the other lawyers. "Good job, boys."  
Cordelia and Wesley grabbed Buffy. "You're okay?" Cordelia asked.  
Buffy looked at Angelus fighting with the demon.   
"It's not Angel..." She whispered.  
"Angelus?" Wesley asked.  
Buffy nodded, tears forming in her eyes.  
"Okay... He was kinda suicidal..." Cordelia murmured.  
They looked as the demon ripped Angelus apart with great strength. His claws  
ripped at Angelus' body mercilessly.  
"Can we curse him again?" Cordelia asked. "Or should we let this ugly demon  
kill him?"  
Wesley rubbed his head in frustration.  
"I have to kill him... he asked me..." Buffy whispered huskily. "But I  
can't... I just can't do it…"  
It seemed like Angelus was starting to get the upper hand on the animalistic  
demon.  
The demon screeched in pain and threw Angelus across the room.  
Before Angelus could calculate his next move- towards the exit, he was hit  
by a bolt and burst into ashes.  
  
Buffy, Wesley and Cordy looked towards the entrance to the hotel, seeing the  
tall black man standing with his crossbow aimed. Behind him there were other  
black men.  
"Gunn..." Wesley whispered.  
"What are you doing here?" Cordelia asked him.   
"Angel asked me to come here... he said he will lose his soul and be evil at  
this time, and he said he can trust only me to kill him."  
"Now we need to kill this fiend over there..." One of Gunn's friends said.  
Buffy watched the demon limping towards them. Gunn shot the demon in the  
chest. It screamed, taking the arrow out of its chest.  
Buffy shook her head, remembering the demon throwing Angelus off her.  
"Don't hurt him! He saved me!" She called.  
She stepped closer to the demon.  
"Buffy... Be careful..." Cordelia clung to Wesley.   
Buffy looked confused at the demon. It was ugly... green skin, spikes  
circled its features. His fangs were scary and enormous. His eyes were red.  
But something was familiar.  
She looked into his eyes.  
"Angel?" She whispered. The demon screamed and ran away, throwing the people  
that were in his way.  
  
"Buffy are you okay?" Wesley approached Buffy. She was still standing numb  
near the altar, looking at the exit. Gunn and his friends had already left.  
Cordelia was sweeping Angel's ashes. "What are we going to do with his  
dust?" She asked.  
"What did you say to the demon to drive him insane like that?" Wesley asked.  
Buffy turned to face him. She was pale and looked haunted. "I gotta go find  
him... he's wounded..."  
"What? Who? Buffy, you talk like you're possessed."  
Buffy didn't reply. She walked away and left the hotel.  
  
Buffy could sense he was near. She could smell his blood and the scorched  
meat. It took her a few minutes, or was it hours, it felt like hours, until she found his hiding  
place.  
It was an abandoned building.  
"Angel? I know you're there..." She called looking around. She heard the demon snarl. "I  
won't hurt you... You saved my life..."  
She paced further inside. She saw the demon crouched in the corner. He was bleeding badly. He looked up at her and growled.  
Buffy hesitated and stopped in her tracks.   
"Let me help you... you're wounded..." She whispered softly and kneeled  
beside him. "You're not gonna hurt me…."  
He gasped when she touched his torn flesh.   
  
"What is that?" Cordelia didn't hide her disgust when Buffy walked into the  
Hyperion, holding the green ugly demon's hand.  
"He's not going to kill us, is he?" Wesley asked.  
"It's Angel..." Buffy said quietly.  
"What?" Both Wesley and Cordelia looked stunned at the terrifying demon.  
"I don't know how to explain this," Buffy said. "He's wounded.. He needs  
help."  
"How about a plastic surgery?" Cordelia suggested.  
"Come," Buffy pulled AngelBeast's hand. "Don't be afraid."  
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	14. Part Fourteen

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 14  
  
  
"This is a pure vampiric demon," Wesley walked with an open book towards  
Buffy. She was busy nursing AngelBeast's wounds.   
"What do you mean?"   
"Before the last demon left our reality-"  
"Oh, Giles told me this tale once." Buffy cut him out.  
"So this is the true demon's face, without the human host's body."  
"And why is he in his true demon form?" Buffy asked.  
"Seems like the ritual has shelled Angel from his human body."  
"But his human body was possessed by the demon. He was evil." Buffy said.  
Wesley looked at the AngelBeast. "And his demonic essence is possessed by  
his human soul."   
"How can we cure him?" Buffy asked, taking her eyes off Angel's demonic  
features. She grabbed Wesley's sleeve and pulled him into the kitchen.  
  
"I don't think we can. I've never encountered such a case, and his body is  
dust now."  
"So he's stuck like that forever?"  
"I'm afraid so." Wesley lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry."  
"There has to be a way to fix this. I can't... after everything he has done  
for me, I can't let him stay like that..."  
"I wish I could point you in the right direction, Buffy, but I really have no idea what we  
can do."  
"That's not good enough. I don't accept that." Buffy folded her arms, looking sternly at Wesley.  
He smiled wearily. "You sound just like him."  
"You know he would never quit on us. We can't quit on him."   
"You're right. I'll try consulting my books." Wesley turned around and walked out of the room.  
  
Buffy went back to the lobby. She looked around, confused. "Angel?"  
The monster that held her lover's human soul wasn't around anymore. "Angel!" Buffy walked around the lobby.   
She spotted the paper on the near desk. She grabbed it, straightening the corners. The handwriting was shaky, but she could recognize it was Angel's.  
'I don't want you here. Go home.'  
Go Home. The words rang familiar in her head. She heard him say it before. She felt her heart sinking in her chest. It hurt her that he didn't want her help. He didn't want her near him. Nothing changed after all. Even now, helpless than ever, Angel didn't welcome her at his side.  
Tears formed in Buffy's eyes. He only helped her because she was the helpless soul, the weekly damsel in distress. His words were empty, again.  
She wiped her eyes with her sleeve and started walking towards the exit. "Fine, Angel. I'm going…" She said faintly. She thought she saw the monster move somewhere in the shadows. "But it's not a goodbye." She said more firmly, before walking out of the Hyperion.  
  
The streets were cold and Buffy wished she knew the way to Cordelia's apartment. She could have stayed in Angel's hotel for the night; she could have called Wesley. But in the heat of the moment she could only storm outside and go wherever her legs lead her. She decided to take the first bus home. At least riley would be happy to see her.  
  
She knew she was being followed. She could feel the fiendish eyes hunting her as she walked. Her senses were renewed and maybe even enhanced. Buffy's muddle of thoughts and feelings didn't daze her Slayer senses as much as it dazed her conscious mind.   
She let the thing that was hunting her follow.   
  
She counted to three in her heart. Like she thought, the vampire jumped stealthily from the rooftop, landing right behind her. She turned around sharply and blocked his attack. He roared and lashed out at her again. She flipped him onto his back and started beating the undead shit out of him with no mercy.   
Buffy proceeded to attack the vampire with powerful blows. The vampire tried to run away from the angry bloodthirsty Slayer.   
  
Finally, the vampire managed to push Buffy away from him for a moment. Before he managed to escape for his unlife, he was dusted.  
Buffy, ready to charge, looked up at the tall black man.  
"You again." She said in wonder.   
"You're quite the fighting machine." The tall stranger commented.  
"You're Angel's friend." Buffy scanned his face.  
"More like acquaintance. The name's Gunn." He played with the stake, flipping it in his hand.  
"I remember." She said quietly.  
  
"Hey bro, what did you bring us?" One of Gunn's friends asked when Buffy followed Gunn into the warehouse. A safe roof for the rest of the night. Well, in theory anyway. She looked at the streetgang members. "Hi, I'm Buffy." She said.  
"Oh the pretty white thing has a name!" One of them said.   
"She was Angel's friend," Gunn explained. "Before he turned evil."  
Buffy cringed at the words. Why couldn't anyone else understand that Angel wasn't evil? In fact, he was better than most of the so-called "good" people she known.  
  
More gang kids came into the room. She scanned them as the came in. her stare stopped on one of the young white boys.  
The boy met her eyes and looked at her confused.  
"Buffy?" He asked after a beat.  
"Oh my God!" She called and jumped on him. "I thought you were dead!!"  
He hugged her. "I thought YOU were dead!"  
"Hey, you know Pike?" Gunn asked in surprise.  
Buffy touched Pike's face. "And you're not a vampire!"  
He sneered. "I'd rather wear a Hanson shirt in a Marilyn Manson concert than become a vampire."  
"Oh my God!" Buffy yelped again and wrapped her arms around him.  
  
  
TBC...  
  
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	15. Part Fifteen

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 15  
  
  
"So, tell me... what's been up with you for the last 5 years?" Buffy asked  
Pike when they sat down at Denny's.  
"Got expelled, my parents and I had a big fight... I ran off... When I came  
back my mom was dead and my dad was vamped..."  
"God, I'm sorry!" Buffy said genuinely.   
He shrugged. "Then I killed him... before he killed me. And then I met Gunn  
and his sister. Their parents were victims as well. So I joined their gang."  
"And you've lived on the streets since then?"  
"Yup, got used to it fast. I've always spent more time on the streets than  
at home," He shrugged again.  
Buffy nodded in understanding.  
"So what about you? My dad kept saying the Slayer was dead and 'he' will  
rise. The Master or whatever." Pike took a bite from the big hamburger  
sandwich he ordered. It was not everyday he was invited to eat at a diner. Mostly  
they ate at the shelter.  
"Well... I died, but only for a minute. The Master is long gone since. I  
just moved to Sunnydale... lots of vampires and demons there... it's the  
Hellmouth."  
"Seems like L.A is a Hellmouth as well. There's even a vampire with a soul  
here! First one I ever saw."  
Buffy nearly choked on her food.   
"Yeah, I know it sounds weird," Pike nodded. "He helped us last year. And  
Gunn helps him out every now and then. But I heard he turned evil and had to  
be killed."  
Buffy lowered her eyes.  
"Too bad. If his soul was permanent it would have been super-cool. And very  
helpful. He did a lot of damage to his own kind."  
"Yeah, well... there's always got to be a catch. It can't be perfect." Buffy  
said quietly.  
"I don't think I believe in the word perfect... I don't think there's such a  
thing."  
"Maybe there is, but no one promised it's as good as it's supposed to be..."  
"You sound like you've been there."  
"It doesn't end any better even my dreams..."   
"My dreams can pass for perfect, I suppose."  
"You're lucky."  
"So that's all you've been doing? Kickin' an' Slayin'?"  
"In a nutshell.. "  
"Any... boyfriends?"  
"Uh... there were... a few."  
"A few?"  
"Yeah, well, uh, officially just uh, two." Buffy stammered.  
"Haven't met the love of your life yet?"  
Buffy looked down.  
"Well, maybe if you call him he will come." Pike joked.  
"I wish..." She stabbed her fork in her food. "I'm not sure he'll pick up  
the phone."  
"Well then, you can compromise for less in the meantime." He put his hand on  
hers. "And when he comes, you'll know."  
She raised her eyes to look at him. "Wh... um, what about you?"  
"I don't think I can offer anything to anyone... I'm not exactly a woman's  
dream, you know? I can't offer a girl a normal life, two kids, a dog and  
white picket fence... Wherever I go darkness follows..." He said, leaning forward.  
"But a girl should..." Buffy leaned forward herself. "Normal life... is a  
girl's dream... that's what we should hope for..."  
His lips met hers in midair above the table. His lips were rough, but warm.  
Buffy let herself be drawn into his kiss.   
  
They broke the soft kiss and looked at each other.  
"Maybe I want normal life myself... but I gave up that dream a long time ago,"  
He said. "I don't believe in fairy tales."  
"I'm... I'm sorry, I... I gotta go..." Buffy whispered. She took out a pile  
of rolled money from her pocket and put it on the table. "Here, pay for  
the dinner... and keep the rest for yourself."  
"Where are you going?"  
"I think I'm gonna finish a fairy tale." She smiled at him and walked away.  
  
Buffy entered the Hyperion hesitantly. It was dark and awfully quiet.  
"Angel?" She asked.   
She stepped into the middle of the lobby, and considered walking up the  
stairs.  
She walked into the kitchen instead.  
The fridge was torn opened, a few empty blood bags were torn and scattered  
on the floor.  
Some blood was spilled around as well.  
She heard a growl behind her and turned around.  
The beast was moving in the shadows, not far from there.  
  
Buffy stepped out of the kitchen. AngelBeast moved away in the shadows.  
"Show yourself." Buffy demanded.  
In an instant the beast was right in front of her, growling and snarling.   
"I'm not afraid of you." Buffy said confidently, not even stepping back.  
She saw the red eyes of the monster softening, and she could recognize him  
again.  
"You told me you'll always love me," Buffy pointed her finger at him. "You  
said you'll love me even if I was covered with slime."  
The demon's eyes seemed to glimmer.  
"How could you belittle my feelings so much? How can you expect me to walk  
away from you in times like that? What I feel doesn't count?" She admonished  
him. "You think I can just wake up and stop loving you? My love is weaker  
than yours? You always make my decisions for me!" She raised her voice, flushing him with her words. "I'm old enough to make my own choices now, and I'm the Slayer. I can die any  
day. I can find another list-whatever demon and next time no one could help me..."   
She grabbed the beast's hand, feeling his claws in her skin. "Angel, I love  
you. I don't see how it can change... and you're not that..." She looked at  
his dreadful features. "Well, at least you're not covered with slime." She  
leaned and kissed him softly on his forehead. "I want to be with..." She  
stopped talking when she heard loud thunders and open her eyes.  
The dim light went off in a bang, and Buffy tried to move closer to the  
monster. In a flash, all the lights in the Hyperion returned and in full  
power.  
"What..." Buffy looked around, until it suddenly registered in her mind that  
she couldn't feel the beast's claws penetrating her skin in sharp scratches  
anymore. She was now holding Angel's human hand. The same large hand she  
knew all too well.  
She looked up confused, Angel, in his human form, was still looking around,  
blinking at the bright light.  
"Angel!" She called out and threw herself on him, wrapping her arms around  
his neck.  
  
She started crying tears of joy, holding herself as close to his cold body  
as possible. She wanted to become a part of him, melt into him.  
"Buffy..." He whispered, and then slowly realized he was able to talk. He  
held her, and raised one hand above her to check out if it was real and he had  
really got his human body back.  
"How did it happen?" He asked in amazement, putting his hand back on Buffy's  
hair, stroking her gently.  
"I don't know..." She whimpered, her face buried in his chest.  
He took one step back and pulled her away from him. He lifted her chin to  
look into her eyes. "*You* did it, Buffy. You saved me." He said softly.  
She stopped whimpering, but her eyes were still teary.  
"You saved me first..." Her lower lip trembled. Her whole body was shaking.   
In the corner of his eye he saw a movement in the lobby. He turned his head  
just in time to see the sorcerer stepping backwards and disappearing into  
thin air.   
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	16. Part Sixteen

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 16  
  
  
  
Angel pulled Buffy over to him, holding her tight and covered her mouth with  
his.  
She parted her lips, waiting anxiously to feel his tongue sliding inside  
her. He didn't disappoint, and the kiss deepened, each of them exploring  
again the familiar territories they've been yearning for.   
Neither of them wanted to pull back, but eventually, Buffy got breathless. They  
broke the kiss and looked into each other's eyes.  
"I love you..." She whispered, still panting.  
"I love you." He returned, his hand resting lovingly on her cheek.  
"I wish..." She started saying and rested her hand on his chest.  
"We can't." He whispered, knowing what she was getting at.  
  
Again, they were both fully clothed, lying in each other's arm on Angel's  
bed.  
Angel was holding Buffy protectively in his strong arms.  
"I don't want to sleep... I just want to be with you... like this..." She  
played with his collar.   
He kissed her hair. "Sleep," He whispered. "I'll stay here with you."  
"Will you be here when I wake up?" She asked, looking up at his face.  
"I will," He promised, glancing down at her.  
"Okay," She snuggled in his arms. His body was already warm from the body  
heat she gave him.  
Buffy closed her eyes and fell asleep almost instantly in the warmth and  
safety of his arms.  
  
"Good morning," He whispered to her when she opened her eyes drowsily, hours  
later.  
"You're still here..." She whispered, her voice still husky from sleep.   
"I promised," He leaned down to kiss her softly.  
"What time is it?" She asked, getting up.   
"It's late. You slept for a while." He told her.  
"And you stayed here all this time?"   
"I promised," He shrugged. "I don't get cramps or anything, and besides..."  
He smiled his famous crooked half smile. "I like watching you sleep."   
"Uh oh... I look like a disaster when I sleep…" She wrinkled her nose.  
"How do you know? Ever watched yourself sleep?"  
"I see myself in the morning!"  
"Well I saw you sleep and you're pretty as ever," He assured her.  
"But when was the last time you saw me sleeping?"  
"Almost a year ago," He said.  
"A year?" She looked at him confused.  
"Uh, I mean 2 years." He realized his mistake quickly. "A year, two... All look the same when you're 240." He joked.  
She smiled at him. "I thought you were 245?"  
He twisted his mouth. "Well, no need to get detailed, I'm still young!"   
She smiled again and moved to kiss him.   
He nibbled on her earlobe, whispering into her ear- "And I enjoy looking at you, anyway."  
They spent the rest of the day talking about everything, and just  
enjoying each other's company, holding hands, kissing and cuddling together.  
  
In the afternoon, they reluctantly let go of each other. Buffy went to take  
a shower, while Angel decided to let Wesley and Cordelia know that he was back  
to himself.  
"It's amazing..." Wesley kept saying in astonishment.   
"It is..." Angel agreed.  
"So what are you going to do now?" Wesley asked.  
"What do you mean?"   
"Now you're back and Buffy is back... what are you going to do?"  
Angel sighed. "I guess... I guess we have to go back to real life."  
"I suppose..." Wes agreed.  
"I mean, if there was any way..."   
"But she's the Slayer. She needs to return to the Hellmouth."  
"Right. And I'm... I'm gonna call Giles and tell him she's okay. He still  
doesn't know."  
"In truth, he does know."  
"He knows?"  
"He called when I got back. I did not mention your, um, your condition."  
"So he expects to see Buffy soon."  
"I tried to delay him, but he demanded I'll get her on the bus, tonight. I  
figured, she'll talk to him herself... things seem stressed in Sunnydale."  
"When aren't they..." Angel muttered. He still didn't know what the best  
approach to Buffy would be.  
  
  
  
  
TBC.... 


	17. Part Seventeen

DISCLAIMERS ETC IN PART 1.  
  
TIMELINE: AFTER "ARE YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER BEEN" AND BEFORE "FIRST IMPRESSIONS"  
  
  
ONCE UPON A TIME... NOT SO LONG AGO - PART 17  
  
  
  
Angel looked up when Buffy came down the steps. He felt his heart sinking,  
knowing what he was gonna say next. He gathered all the calmed expression  
and strength he could.  
"Buffy, I've talked to Giles. They'll wait for you at the bus station." He said, almost casually.  
She looked at him, puzzled. "Bus station?"  
He sighed. "I would take you myself, but I don't think your boyfriend will appreciate that. And... and I'm not sure I could do it..." He sighed again.  
"But... I don't want to go. I want to stay here." Buffy protested.  
Angel looked at her, his face paler than usual. "You know you can't.  
Your family needs you. The Hellmouth needs you."  
"But *I* need you!" Buffy stepped towards him. "I just got you back..." Her voice was shaken.  
Angel closed the distance between them and stroked her face gently.  
"I know, Buffy. But nothing changed..."  
"I love you. I want to be with you!" Buffy started crying.  
He trailed his finger down the path of her tear. "I love you too, Buffy. This will never change.   
It's not that I don't want you," He tried to explain. "If there was any way for us to be together... If the happiness clause was gone... if I were human... You know I'd *run* back to you. "  
"You're not just saying that?" She sobbed.   
"If I could by with *anyone*... Buffy, why would I wanna be with someone  
else but you?" He reassured her.   
She threw her body against his. "There must be a way... Please! Angel, please!"  
He wrapped his arms around her, his hand on her hair. "Shhh, Buffy,  
please understand... We both have a mission. It hurts me too, you know, to  
be apart from you, and know that someone else is allowed to have what I  
can't. But you deserve to have that."  
"I don't care... I don't care about it!"  
"You should. You deserve so much more than I can give you."  
"You gave me more than anyone else ever did, Angel. I don't think I  
can feel this way ever again."  
Angel sighed. Her words cut him deep inside his dead heart. She was  
a warrior, just like him. Ultimately, they were both cursed to be alone and  
dedicate their lives to the fight against evil, to the righteous and sacred  
duty they shared. She was just like him. No, she was better than him. She  
deserved so much more. Why couldn't she see it.  
"If you ever need me, Buffy, I'll be right by your side. I'll always  
be there for you. Don't forget that." He said softly.  
She nodded. "Thank you."  
He leaned down and kissed each of her eyes, tasting her tears. She  
raised her head to meet his lips with hers and he gave in to the soft and  
gentle affection her warm lips offered.  
"I understand..." She whispered and touched his face, wiping his own  
tears.  
"I don't want you to wait for a miracle to happen, Buffy. I don't  
want you to waste your life because of me. Go back to riley, he can make you  
happy."  
"If there was a way... You would tell me, wouldn't you?"  
"Of course... One of my fantasies is to turn human, surprise you in  
the sunlight, sweep you into my arms and kiss you like there's no...  
tomorrow..." His voice trailed off at the last word.  
"I think you just described one of my dreams..." Buffy sighed and  
brushed his shoulder gently. "It always seems so vivid."  
"All we have is our dreams."  
"I want more."  
"Maybe one day."  
She smiled bitterly, "But not today."  
"Come, I'll take you to the bus station."   
  
It was a little past sunset when Angel and Buffy reached the bus station.  
Angel got out of the car. He saw Buffy was still in it.  
"Buffy, come on. You'll miss the bus."  
"I don't want to go." Buffy shrugged.  
"Buffy, we talked about it."  
She looked at him. "It seems so final."  
"I've never said goodbye." He opened the car's door for her and  
offered his hand.  
She took his hand and got up. "Will I see you again?"  
The bus arrived and passengers started to load it.  
"If you ever need anything, *anything*, You know my number." He  
said.  
She nodded. "By heart..."  
He smiled and pulled her into a long loving hug.  
They were interrupted by the driver's honk.   
"You better get on the bus." He reluctantly let go of her.  
  
Angel watched as Buffy, the last passenger, unbeknownst to the  
Sunnydale passengers, the most important passenger, stepped towards the bus.  
When she started up the stairs, she turned around to look at him.  
'Don't say goodbye, please don't...' He whispered in his heart.   
Buffy just smiled at him, not even waving, and then turned back and  
disappeared into the bus.   
He looked as the doors closed behind her and the bus started driving  
away. Taking his Buffy away from him. Back, back to where she was, back to  
what he was doing.  
And he could only hope that one day they'd be together again. If  
this wasn't his reward, why even bother.  
  
Angel walked into his hotel. He went up the stairs to his room.  
Sitting on his bed, trying to feel the warmth her body left on his  
sheets, he suddenly noticed a movement in the shadows. At first he could see  
the bright golden hair, moving into the light.  
"Buffy?" He asked hopefully.  
"Hello, my boy," Angel looked up surprised to see his old sire  
standing there and approaching him.  
"Darla?"  
"Did you miss me?"  
He got up and looked at her, still shocked. "What are you doing  
here?"  
"I came to visit you. I really missed you."  
He scratched his head, still puzzled. "Well, I gotta go to some  
club. You can come with me... uh, do you like karaoke?"  
"You're asking me out?" She smiled at him.  
"If you don't mind..."  
"It's a date then."  
"It's a date." Angel nodded.  
  
Angel gasped and jumped up from his bed. He looked around, rubbing  
his eyes.  
The room was dark and no one was in sight.   
He sighed and got up, putting his boxers on. He walked out of the  
room and started to wander around in the big, empty hotel. He felt more lonely  
than ever.  
And then, all he wanted to do was go back to sleep.  
  
  
THE END (check out the epilogue...) 


End file.
